Austin Eubanks: Columbine school shooting survivor found dead

A survivor of the Columbine High School shooting who later became a prominent advocate for fighting addiction has been found dead at his Colorado home.

Austin Eubanks, 37, was shot in the hand and knee in the 1999 Columbine attack, in which 12 of his classmates and a teacher were killed.

He became addicted to drugs after taking pain medication while recovering from his injuries.

Officials say there were no signs of foul play in his death.

Eubanks's body was discovered on Saturday at his home in Steamboats Springs, Colorado, Routt County Coroner Robert Ryg said.

A post-mortem examination to establish the cause of death was planned for Monday.

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His family said he had "lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face".

"As you can imagine, we are beyond shocked and saddened and request that our privacy is respected at this time," they added in a statement reported by local TV station KMGH.

Eubanks told the BBC in 2017 of how the attack, which killed his best friend, led him to addiction.

"I was medicated on a variety of substances that were intended to sedate and to relieve pain," he said.

"I became addicted before I even knew what was happening."

Eubanks later worked at an addiction treatment centre and travelled the US telling his story and working to improve addiction recovery and prevention.

The Columbine High School shooting took place on 20 April, 1999 when two students killed 12 fellow pupils and a teacher. They then killed themselves.

It was, at the time, the deadliest school shooting in US history.