After being shot in the Columbine library, Val Schnurr “dropped to her knees” and prayed to God—when Dylan asked her if she believed in God, she replied that she did, and he reloaded his gun in preparation to shoot her again, but then became distracted and walked away. Val ultimately comes forward to refute the story of Cassie Bernall’s martyrdom, though it is painful and frightening for her to do so. In interviews with Dave Cullen ten years after the shooting, Schnurr describes herself as happy, healed, and in love with life.
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Val Schnurr Character Timeline in Columbine
The timeline below shows where the character Val Schnurr appears in Columbine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 38: Martyr
Two other martyr stories surface in the wake of the massacre. Val Schnurr was shot and remained conscious—she began to pray to God for her life. The...
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...Cassie’s story, he gets the details wrong, pointing in the direction of the table where Val Schnurr, not Cassie, had been hidden. When detectives point out the inaccuracy, Craig gets sick...
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...martyrdom out of the manuscript, but continue with the account of Cassie’s life and transformation. Val Schnurr’s family and Emily Wyant’s family both separately attend dinner with the Bernalls, and both...
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Afterword: Forgiveness
Val Schnurr, a survivor of the library massacre, is “deliriously” happy. Dylan hit her with a...
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Val is relieved that it was Dylan and not Eric who shot her—she knew Eric personally,...
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