Key takeaways:

• Anne Marie Hochhalter, a Columbine survivor, has been ruled a homicide after complications from her injuries.
• Her death raises the 1999 shooting's toll to 14 victims, including 12 students and one teacher.
• After being paralyzed from the waist down, Hochhalter spent 25 years advocating for victims of gun violence.

The tragic legacy of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting has been revisited with the recent death of survivor Anne Marie Hochhalter, whose passing on February 16 has been classified as a homicide by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office. Hochhalter, who was a student at the time of the shooting, succumbed to sepsis stemming from complications resulting from the two gunshot wounds she suffered during the attack, bringing the death toll associated with this horrific event to 14 victims, including 12 students and one teacher. This classification maintains a somber reminder of the lasting impact of gun violence in America.

According to a detailed New York Times report, Hochhalter's death was linked directly to her injuries, confirmed in a 13-page autopsy report authored by Dr. Dawn B. Holmes, a forensic pathologist. The report concluded that "complications of paraplegia due to two gunshot wounds are a significant contributing factor" in her passing. Hochhalter, 43, had been living with the effects of her injuries for nearly 26 years, requiring the use of a wheelchair and enduring various medical challenges.

During the initial tragic event on April 20, 1999, two armed students opened fire, killing 12 classmates and a teacher before ultimately taking their own lives. Hochhalter was among the wounded, left paralyzed after being shot in her back and chest, yet she transformed her experiences into a voice for advocacy.

Throughout her life, Hochhalter became known for her advocacy on behalf of mass shooting victims. In 2012, she attended a vigil for the victims of the Aurora theater shooting, proclaiming, “I really hope the good stories will come out and show a community can come together just like Littleton did after Columbine,” as noted by The Hill.

Her brother, Nathan Hochhalter, who also experienced the trauma of that day as a freshman, remarked on his sister's tenacity, stating that she exemplified independence and resilience even while confronting her debilitating injuries. As he poignantly put it, “She got an extra 26 years... She was very independent, but it was not an easy 26 years.”

Anne Marie Hochhalter's story continues to serve as a testament to the profound and ongoing repercussions of gun violence in America, encouraging community dialogue about healing and advocacy even amidst enduring pain. For more on this matter, refer to CBS News.