LITTLETON, Colo. -- Investigators scouring bullet-riddled Columbine High School yesterday for clues to Tuesday's murderous rampage discovered the largest and potentially most deadly bomb planted in the building -- one that had escaped the notice of bomb squads who had declared the building safe for other officers.

The sheer size of the bomb -- a homemade explosive found in a kitchen off the school's cafeteria -- suggests that the assailants planned more than killing.

"The evidence supports that these individuals not only were on a shooting spree, but also were intent on destroying the school," said Jefferson County Sheriff John Stone.

Had the bomb exploded, "It would have been devastating," said sheriff's Sgt. Jim Parr.

Fourteen students -- including the two assailants -- and one teacher were killed, and 28 people were taken to hospitals Tuesday, after a pair of heavily armed students tossed homemade bombs and opened fire with semiautomatic weapons and shotguns as they moved through the building settling adolescent scores.

The two, identified by police as Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, then apparently took their own lives, police say.

At Columbine, shrines to the victims have grown to mounds of flowers, poems, teddy bears and other remembrances piled in a park off the school's parking lot.

Tents were set up yesterday to protect the offerings from a half-foot of spring snow. There was even a tent erected over the maroon car of Rachel Scott, one of the Columbine dead, which was still in the parking lot and fast becoming obscured by bouquets of flowers.

Students and friends made pilgrimages to the park site, many traveling arm in arm in small groups. Some knelt to pray and others hugged and sobbed.

More bombs possible

The bomb found inside the school yesterday consisted of a 20-pound cylinder of propane, familiar to owners of gas barbecue grills, and a one- or two-gallon can of gasoline. The two bottles, along with an apparent detonation device, were found inside a duffel bag, rigged to go off in tandem.

Bomb squads using remote-controlled robots and dogs trained to detect explosives had swept the building once but were in the process of rechecking areas when they discovered the new bomb.

Police investigators were sent from the area while explosives experts rendered the device safe.

Parr said it is possible that more bombs will be found in the thousands of backpacks, boxes, briefcases and bags that were strewn throughout the building during the melee.

"There were 2,000 students in the building that ran out of here in a panic. Some of them ran out of their shoes," he said.

The size of the latest discovery heightened suspicions among investigators that more than the two shooters were involved, possibly helping to carry the armaments into the building.

At least 30 explosives have been recovered from the building and parking lot, ranging from small pipe bombs to yesterday's large device.

It could be that Harris and Klebold made more than one trip with the gear, but one or more accomplices is "a very distinct possibility," Parr said. Spent shell casings indicate that all the firing was done by the guns found with Harris and Klebold, police said.

Investigative net

Parr said he could not confirm reports that another student's home had been searched, but investigators said their net was widening.

Parr confirmed that investigators seized a note during their search of the Harris home that they believe is related to the incident. He declined to characterize the contents of the note.

Meanwhile, juvenile court records released by Jefferson County District Court described Harris and Klebold as young men with bright futures.

Klebold and Harris were caught breaking into a van last year and allowed to complete a juvenile-court rehabilitation program to clear their records. They finished in February with flying colors, a court official wrote.

Dylan Klebold was "a bright young man who has a great deal of potential." Eric Harris was "intelligent enough to achieve lofty goals as long as he stays on task and remains motivated," the officer said in the documents compiled.

The officer, whose name was blacked out by court officials, wrote of Klebold, "If he is able to tap his potential and become self-motivated he should do well in life. Dylan has earned the right for an early termination. He is intelligent enough to make any dream a reality but he needs to understand hard work is part of it."

Harris' received anger-management counseling, which he enjoyed, the officer wrote.

Both teens also completed 45 hours of community service, received individual counseling and wrote an apology letter.

As investigators continued to search Columbine, students in the rest of Jefferson County -- the state's largest school system -- returned to classes for the first time since the shootings.

Although no violence occurred in any of the other 141 schools, many of them were immediately "locked down" when the shooting began and have subsequently been searched.

The system has 89,000 students in suburbs southwest of Denver.

"It was not anything remotely close to normal," said Cherylene Evans, a fifth-grade teacher at Powder Horn Elementary School and a Littleton resident.

About half the students were absent, and many of those who came were brought by their parents, she said. The students were very emotional, and teachers were instructed to let the children express their feelings through class discussions, writing or artwork, she said.

Return to school

Columbine High School's 1,950 students could be back to class as early as next week, although school officials are not sure where. They vowed yesterday to keep the students and staff together and not disperse them among other schools as some students had feared.

"We don't want them split up," said Jane Hammond, superintendent of Jefferson County schools.

The system is exploring a number of options, including opening a second shift at another high school or finding a building large enough to house the Columbine students, she said.

The school district is also committed to graduating the seniors by May 22, as originally scheduled.

A team of school officials will tour the building today or tomorrow to see whether and when the Columbine building could be reopened.

Police have said there does not appear to be any structural damage to the building, but windows have been shattered and ceiling tiles dislodged. Bullets were fired into walls and the sprinkler system did extensive water damage.

Most want to go back

The students expressed mixed feelings about someday returning to their school. Some suggested the building be bulldozed and turned into a memorial, but most said they were eager to get back inside and prove the killers had not broken their spirit.

"It's going to be tough next year, but I think we have to," said Erik Sunde, a freshman and friend of several of the teens who died in the library, scene of the worst devastation.

"I just don't know how we could ever sit in the library again."

He felt strongly that the students should be kept together, wherever they finish out the school year. "This is a time for us to be together," Sunde said.

Fifteen-year-old Matt Katzenmbier said he is eager to get back inside the building to achieve a sense of closure. He was in the cafeteria when the shooting began and saw a friend get hit.

"I would love to go back in. I really would," he said.

For faculty in the system's other schools, the day began and ended with staff meetings. Crisis counselors and social workers were sent into the schools to help deal with the trauma, said Betty Fitzpatrick, director of health services for the schools.

Students of all ages throughout the district have been affected, either through personal knowledge of victims or their siblings or by the fear the news of the carnage has engendered, she said.

"What we've found is the ripple effect is enormous," she said.

Community support

Outpourings of community support were evident throughout the Denver area.

One hotel offered free rooms for loved ones coming into town to console victims. United Airlines extended discount fares for immediate relatives of victims.

Several churches had prayer vigils and made grief counselors available for students, families and faculty.

Attorney General Janet Reno came to Denver yesterday to pledge the federal government's assistance. Vice President Al Gore is weighing a visit Sunday.

"It is important that as we begin to heal we look together, without blame, to see that this does not happen again," Reno said.

Pub Date: 4/23/99