Teen opens fire at Colorado high school, wounds two before self-inflicted death

Lead On Wednesday at about 12:24 p.m., a 16-year-old student at Evergreen High School near Denver opened fire with a revolver, wounding two classmates before fatally shooting himself.

Nut Graf Authorities believe the shooter was radicalized by an extremist network, highlighting urgent questions about school security, mental health interventions and online influences in youth violence.

Shooting Overview

  • The gunfire began on school grounds at lunchtime, with shots fired both inside hallways and outside near Olive Street.
  • The shooter reloaded multiple times and attempted to access locked classrooms, but school lockdown procedures impeded further injuries.

Response and Victims

  • Jefferson County deputies arrived within two minutes and encountered the suspect by the five-minute mark, without discharging their weapons.
  • Two students, both classmates of the shooter, were transported to local hospitals; one remains in critical condition, the other in stable condition.
  • A fourth student was evaluated but not seriously injured.

Suspect Profile and Motive

  • The shooter, identified as 16-year-old Desmond Holly, had legally obtained a revolver and significant ammunition.
  • Investigators believe he was “radicalized by some extremist network,” though specific affiliations remain under review.
  • No evidence suggests the victims were targeted personally; authorities consider it an indiscriminate attack.

Investigation Underway

  • Federal agencies, including the ATF and FBI, have joined the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to process multiple crime scenes inside and outside the three-level school facility.
  • Searches of the suspect’s home, phone and locker aim to uncover his motives and any enabling connections.
  • Body-camera and security footage documenting the incident have been secured but not released publicly.

Community Impact

  • Evergreen High and nearby schools remained closed Thursday and Friday, with counselors providing support to students and staff.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis pledged to review school safety protocols and called the shooting a “senseless act of violence” against children.
  • Local families and elected officials are renewing calls for bipartisan efforts on gun-violence prevention and mental-health resources in schools.