Desmond Holly Was Radicalized Before Becoming a School Shooter
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Residents of Evergreen, Colorado were shocked by a school shooting at Evergreen High School on September 10, 2025.
The shooter was identified as 16-year-old Desmond Holly, who took his own life at the end of the violent incident. Holly was a student at the school.
We’re going to take a look at the background of the shooter and see what led up to the chilling events at Evergreen High School.
Desmond Lived With His Family in a Rural Area
Holly was living with his parents at their residence in rural Kitteridge, Colorado before the shooting, according to the Denver Post.
The family lived in a mountain home accessible only by private road. They’ve reportedly been cooperative with investigators, according to Time.
The property was searched by law enforcement hours after the shooting, although the results of the search weren’t made publicly available.
Investigators also obtained warrants to search the shooter’s phone, as well as his locker.
He Had Been ‘Radicalized’ Prior to the Shooting
Holly reportedly held extreme political viewpoints, although the shooter’s views weren’t immediately detailed.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement claiming the shooter had been “radicalized” by an “extremist network,” according to The New York Times.
Although the sheriff’s office didn’t have any specific information about the network Holly allegedly followed, they wanted to let the public know about the “mindset” the shooter was in prior to the violent incident.
Authorities were investigating Holly’s social media pages to discern further information about his political beliefs.
The Shooting Ended When Holly Died by Suicide
The shooting began at 12:24 PM, when Holly, who was armed with a revolver, began firing at students while walking through Evergreen High School’s campus. His movements on the campus, as well as the methods he used to obtain the revolver, are currently under review by investigators.
Holly reportedly reloaded several times during the shooting, and two victims were wounded. They were later transported to separate hospitals, where they were each listed in critical condition.
The school went into lockdown, and officials say the shooter unsuccessfully tried to access locked-down areas of the campus.
The shooting ended when Holly turned the gun on himself and ended his own life.
The school shooting was overshadowed the same day by the shooting murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in Utah.