They portrayed Dylan, Eric, and Cho like commandos. Non-stop pictures of them holding their weapons, dressed in their all black outfits or camo, posing with knives. They aired manifestos and even made them sympathetic with the bullying angle. It legitimized them and their actions. Psychologists begged CNN and other news outlets to stop covering the killers in that light but what bigger story is there than mass violence? It has inspired many copy cats.
Paint them as the cowardly losers they are or just ignore them.
It wasn't.