Teen Colorado shooter linked to violent gore website months before attack

A 16-year-old Colorado high school shooter had an account on a “violent gore” website months before the attack, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports. This revelation comes as authorities link Desmond Holly’s online activity to extremist content prior to the September 14 incident at Evergreen High School, where he injured two students before taking his own life.

According to the ADL, Holly was active on WatchPeopleDie, a website hosting graphic violence and white supremacist content. The site, banned on Reddit in 2019, allows users to watch real images of beheadings, shootings, and animal cruelty. Holly’s activity on the site coincided with other recent school shootings, including those in Wisconsin and Nashville, which also involved users linked to the platform. Holly joined the site in December 2024, between the Madison and Nashville shootings, and posted a TikTok photo of fellow shooter Natalie Rupnow. His social media showed extremist symbols and a gun with ammunition hours before the attack. Authorities say Holly was “radicalized by an extremist network,” but details remain limited. The ADL emphasizes the importance of monitoring online spaces that glorify violence and influence vulnerable individuals.

• Holly used WatchPeopleDie, a site hosting violent and extremist content, before the shooting.
• He posted a photo of himself with a gun and ammunition hours before the attack.
• His social media showed symbols linked to extremism and references to past mass shootings.
• Authorities are investigating the online influence on Holly’s radicalization and violence.

Understanding the role of online spaces in radicalizing youth could help prevent future attacks. Law enforcement and tech companies are urged to monitor and restrict access to such sites.