Nancy Lindsey
Nancy Lindsey [pp.976-980]
While in Clement Park just after 11:15 a.m., Nancy Lindsey heard a report of gunmen on the roof at Columbine High School. She stopped in amazement and heard three shots fired in the distance at the school, at which time, she saw a man in his late teens or early 20s walking over Rebel Hill ("Columbine Hill") toward her carrying a 4-foot long canvas bag and another duffel bag that didn't look very full. She described him as walking, smiling, and wearing blue jeans.
JC-001-000977
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY:
Telephone interview with Nancy Lindsey, a citizen walking in Clement Park at the time of the incident.
SYNOPSIS:
On 6/17/99, SA Traver contacted Nancy Lindsey, who saw a suspicious man in the park at the time of the Columbine incident.
NARRATIVE:
- Lindsey stated that she substitute teaches in Jeffco. Earlier in the day she had subbed at Dear creek Middle School, she finished there at about 1045. She went to walk around Johnson Lake at Clement Park.
- While walking she was wearing headphones and listening to the radio, that is how she heard about the shooting at Columbine. She stated that she just stood in amazement for about a minute, then when she turned off her radio, she heard three gunshots.
- Then she saw a guy walking over Columbine Hill. This happened about 2 to 3 minutes after she heard the radio report.
- The man was about 50 yards away and looked at her and smiled. He appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties. He was carrying some type of tripod in a canvas encasement, and a gym back [gym bag] that did not appear to be very full,
- Lindsey did not think anything of it because he was not running just walking.
- Lindsey finished her walk and headed for her car, she wanted to go to Stony Creek Elementary School, because that is where her children attend school.
- When in the parking lot, two girls came running into the parking lot screaming that someone has a gun and is shooting.
JC-001-000978
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JC-001-000979
ADDITIONAL WITNESS: LlNDSEY, NANCY C.
Work: Substitute teacher at Jefferson County School District
INVESTIGATION:
On 08-03-99, between the hours of 1238 and 1301, I had the opportunity to speak with Nancy Lindsey in reference to the Columbine incident that occurred on 04-20-99.
Nancy was contacted by Special Agent Matthew Traver, who works for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. I had contacted Nancy to get some additional information in reference to the initial statement that she provided to Special Agent Traver.
Nancy explained that on 04-20-99, she had taught classes as a substitute teacher at Deer Creek Middle School. Nancy left Deer Creek at about 10:45 a.m. and proceeded over to Johnson Lake, which is just to the West of Clement Park. She told me that she parked her van over near Hops Microbrewery, which is located at Chanson Plaza. I asked Nancy if she could recall about what time she arrived at Johnson Lake. She told me that it was no later than 11:00 a.m. Nancy started walking around the lake telling me that she had a headset radio on and she was listening to KHOW radio station and it was about 11:15 a.m. when the radio station reported that there were two gunmen on the roof at Columbine High School with grenades.
Nancy told me that she had just started up the walk path, which is just to the West of Columbine Hill where she stopped in amazement over the news report. After stopping, she turned her radio off and told me that she heard the sound of three gunshots coming in the direction of Columbine High School. I asked Nancy if she could see the high school when she stopped. She told me that due to the fact she was behind Columbine Hill, she could not see the high school and she never looked directly at the high school.
While Nancy was facing East toward Columbine Hill, she observed a white male in his late teens, early 20's with brown hair, fair complexion, telling me he was average height, about 5'10", anywhere from 160 to 170 pounds, wearing blue jeans. She stated that the individual was about fifty yards away from her. She made eye contact with him and that he smiled at her.
JC-001-000980
I asked Nancy if the individual was carrying anything. She said that in one hand he was carrying a large duffle bag, in the other hand he had a smaller type nylon bag about four feet in length, telling me that she had no idea what was contained inside the bags. I asked Nancy if she ever observed any type of firearm associated with this individual. She stated she did not. I told her that Special Agent Traver had documented in his report that the individual was carrying some type of a tripod and a canvas bag.
She told me that she never saw a tripod, she just took it for granted that he was probably a photographer and he had camera equipment inside the bags. Nancy stated that the individual appeared to be walking toward the top of Columbine Hill, at which time Nancy turned and started walking back toward her van. I asked if she could tell me where the individual went. She told me that after she started back toward her van, she lost sight of the individual and has no idea where be went.
Nancy was asked if she could provide any additional information reference a clothing description on this party. I specifically asked her if she observed this party wearing a duster or trench coat, dark in color. She told me that she would have remembered that and this individual was not wearing any type of a trench coat. When Nancy returned to her van at about 11:30 a.m. she described seeing two teenage girls run past her van and they were yelling that someone was shooting in the parking [parking lot] at Columbine High School.
After Nancy left Johnson Lake, she proceeded over to the McDonald's at Southwest Plaza and then went to Stony Creek Elementary where her children attend school. I again verified at this time with Nancy that she did not observe any firearms associated with the suspicious individual that she described in this report and that after she turned and started walking back toward her van that she lost sight of the individual. Nancy also told me that while she was listening to KHOW that she remembers a second news broadcast which told that authorities were investigating a reported bomb in the area of Kipling Avenue and Chatfield Avenue.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
FBI CASE# 174A·DN-S7419. INFORMATION CONTROL# DN-4623
DISPOSITION: Open, pending further investigation.
Did Lindsey encounter one of the Splatter Punks?
Three young men who called themselves the Splatter Punks (Matt Nalty, Jim Brunetti, and Matt Akard) were arrested in a field adjacent to Columbine High School around 2:00 p.m. One was seen on the news being interviewed in a car next to Chris Morris.
They were initially considered suspects, but were cleared by law enforcement. However, many details about their story don't add up. For instance, they claim to have heard about the shooting on the radio, so they drove over to the school from the Broomfield area, which is a 30-40-minute drive.
However, the individual Lindsey encountered walking over Columbine Hill was also seen by Sally Hocker, and while Lindsey lost sight of him, Hocker saw him meet up with two individuals matching the Splatter Punks' description ("dressed in all black, with short black coats and black pants"). If those individuals were the Splatter Punks, and they took a 30-minute drive, they left long before the shooting was reported on the radio.
For information concerning the controversy around these individuals, visit the Splatter Punks page.
From Lindsey interview:
"While Nancy was facing East toward Columbine Hill, she observed a white male in his late teens, early 20's with brown hair, fair complexion, telling me he was average height, about 5'10", anywhere from 160 to 170 pounds, wearing blue jeans. She stated that the individual was about fifty yards away from her. She made eye contact with him and that he smiled at her.
I asked Nancy if the individual was carrying anything. She said that in one hand he was carrying a large duffle bag, in the other hand he had a smaller type nylon bag about four feet in length, telling me that she had no idea what was contained inside the bags. I asked Nancy if she ever observed any type of firearm associated with this individual. She stated she did not. I told her that Special Agent Traver had documented in his report that the individual was carrying some type of a tripod and a canvas bag.
She told me that she never saw a tripod, she just took it for granted that he was probably a photographer and he had camera equipment inside the bags. Nancy stated that the individual appeared to be walking toward the top of Columbine Hill, at which time Nancy turned and started walking back toward her van. I asked if she could tell me where the individual went. She told me that after she started back toward her van, she lost sight of the individual and has no idea where be went." (Source: p.979-980)