Student’s dad puts casino winnings toward teens’ guns

Tuesday, June 8, 1999 | 10:47 a.m.

LITTLETON, Colo. -- Michael Shoels ventured to the casinos of Black Hawk, Colo., to escape his grief, and he struck gold.

The father of slain Columbine High School student Isaiah Shoels said he will use his $15,000 windfall to form a nonprofit organization that will buy guns from teenagers. The program is sponsored by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta.

Shoels won the money on a slot-machine jackpot during an outing with his mother-in-law to Black Hawk's Colorado Central Station Casino over the Memorial Day weekend.

"We know what people are going to think," Sam Riddle, a spokesman for the Shoels family, said. "Michael would go to the casinos occasionally before Isaiah was snatched from him so early in life. His mother-in-law thought he needed a release."

Shoels registered his organization's trademark, Let's Stomp Out Hate, with the secretary of state's office on Monday.

Isaiah, 18, was the only black among the 13 killed by two teenage gunmen during the April 20 shooting at Columbine.

"We're trying to get the state of Colorado to stop covering up the hate and violence that took my son's life," Shoels said. "If I have to use money I never expected to come my way to get us to focus on our children, than that's what I'm going to do."

Critics have assailed the family for filing a $250 million lawsuit last month against the parents of the Columbine killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

Meanwhile, more than 100 design proposals have been submitted for an official memorial to the Columbine shooting.

County, school district and parks officials overseeing the creation of the permanent memorial met Monday for the first time to begin going over the suggestions.

The 110 proposals range from a Columbine High graduate's plan for a bronze sculpture of cupped hands holding a columbine flower to Dakota Ridge High School students' idea for a circular brick walkway leading to a wishing well.

Memorial organizer Bob Easton said about $22,000 has already been raised for the project and Clement Park will be considered.

Donations can be sent to the Columbine Memorial Fund, attention Jean Naylor, treasurer, P.O. Box 621788, Littleton, Colo. 80162-1788.