Sheriff seeking match for bullet from Columbine

LITTLETON, Colo. -- Sheriff's officials said they would test a bullet found in the backpack of one of the students killed in the Columbine High School massacre after acknowledging that it hadn't been matched to a specific weapon.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department initially said ballistics tests proved that officers who shot into the school library during the April 20, 1999, attack didn't fire the bullet found in a notebook in Corey DePooter's backpack.

On Friday, department spokesman Jim Shires said officials recently realized that the bullet hadn't been tested against all the weapons used at the scene, including weapons fired by the two gunmen, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

Ballistics tests did determine that two slugs lodged in DePooter's chest came from Harris' gun. Harris and Klebold killed 13 people before committing suicide.

It wasn't clear when the test would be conducted.

DePooter's mother, Patricia DePooter, said she appreciated the effort.