UPDATE: Evergreen High School Shooter Identified; Investigators Cite Online Radicalization
Authorities have identified the gunman in Wednesday’s Evergreen High School shooting as 16-year-old Desmond Holly, a student at Evergreen High School. Two students were wounded before Holly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, preliminary evidence suggests Holly was radicalized online. Investigators are reviewing his phone, home, and locker to determine possible influences and communications leading up to the attack.
Both injured students remained hospitalized as of Thursday, and officials have not released further details about their conditions. The school community continues to mourn and search for answers as counselors and local leaders offer support to students, families, and staff.
PREVIOUS REPORT: A quiet Wednesday morning turned into chaos at Evergreen High School in Colorado when gunfire erupted on campus, leaving at least three students injured, including the suspected shooter. Authorities quickly locked down the school and secured the area, confirming that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
According to law enforcement, the shooting began shortly after classes started. Witnesses described scenes of panic as students and staff scrambled for safety while police swarmed the campus. By the time the gunfire stopped, three students had been shot. Two remain in critical condition at local hospitals, while the suspected shooter is also receiving medical treatment after being injured during the incident.
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Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the school was placed on immediate lockdown as officers swept the building. Parents were directed to a reunification site to be reunited with their children, as tearful families waited anxiously for updates.
Evergreen, a mountain community just west of Denver, has been shaken by today’s violence. Many residents still carry the painful memory of the Columbine High School massacre in nearby Littleton in 1999, which claimed 13 lives and changed school security across the nation. Today’s events reopened old wounds, reminding Colorado once again of its tragic history with school shootings.
Governor Jared Polis released a statement calling the incident “devastating” and promising state support for the victims, families, and community. Counselors and crisis teams have been dispatched to provide support for students and staff.
The Evergreen shooting adds to a growing number of school shootings in 2025, reigniting debates about school safety, mental health resources, and gun access. Lawmakers and advocacy groups on both sides of the gun debate are already weighing in, with some calling for tighter restrictions and others stressing the need for armed security on campuses.
Classes at Evergreen High School have been canceled for the rest of the week. Vigils are being planned in the community to honor the victims and provide support to their families.
As investigators continue their work, parents, students, and educators are left grappling with the same haunting question that has followed every school shooting in America: when will it end?
