On a December day in Centennial, Colorado, 17-year-old senior Claire Davis was killed during a shooting at Arapahoe High School. A student armed with a shotgun, a machete, numerous rounds of ammunition and three Molotov cocktails entered the school after reportedly seeking a librarian who had disciplined him. When he could not find that intended target, he fired down a hallway and struck Claire, who was sitting with a friend. The entire violent episode lasted about 80 seconds.

Claire, described by friends as a happy student who loved horses and often wore a smile, was shot at point-blank range and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. She remained in a coma for eight days before dying with family at her side. The shooter then went to the school library and died by a self-inflicted wound as security officers closed in; no arrests were made.

Subsequent reviews found missed chances to intervene: reports say troubling behavior was not fully shared and the school’s threat assessment was inadequate. In a diary, the shooter called himself a psychopath with a superiority complex and framed the attack as a response to bullying he said began in elementary school.