Sheriff's deputy fired for allegedly giving conflicting accounts of Columbine killings

LITTLETON, Colo. - Citing &#34;unacceptable conduct,&#34; a sheriff fired a deputy accused of giving conflicting statements about the shooting of a student whose parents say was accidentally killed by an officer during the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. <br> <br> Relatives of slain student Daniel Rohrbough said Lt. Jim Taylor told them he saw a boy fall to the ground after apparently being shot and realized it was Rohrbough after seeing newspaper photos of him. <br> <br> But in a Dec. 31 statement, Taylor said he didn&#39;t see the shooting and told the family only what he had seen on television and read in newspapers. <br> <br> Taylor was fired for his actions Wednesday. <br> <br> &#34;I am extremely disappointed that false information regarding the tragedy of Columbine High School was provided to the families of the victims of Columbine by a member of my staff,&#34; said Arapahoe County Sheriff Pat Sullivan. &#34;I sincerely apologize for the unacceptable conduct of one former member of my organization.&#34; <br> <br> Sullivan said radio tapes and interviews prove Taylor was not in a position to see gunfire or Rohrbough the during the shooting. <br> <br> Taylor did not immediately return a call for comment. <br> <br> Rohrbough&#39;s family members claim the 15-year-old was accidentally shot by an officer as he fled the school. <br> <br> But authorities have maintained since the April 20, 1999 rampage that gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were responsible for all 13 victims. The two took their own lives in the school library. <br> <br> Sullivan said Taylor had worked for the department since 1988 and that he had never before been investigated. He described Taylor&#39;s past performance as &#34;excellent.&#34; <br> <br> Sue Petrone, Rohrbough&#39;s mother, said Taylor, a longtime family friend, told her and her ex-husband, Brian Rohrbough, shortly after the tragedy and several times later that he saw the teen killed. <br> <br> &#34;He had absolutely no reason to lie to me or to Brian,&#34; Petrone said. &#34;He was telling me the truth. I saw his face.&#34; <br> <br> <br> Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<br>

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