Who is Evergreen High School shooting in Colorado suspect Desmond Holly?

Shelly Bradbury and Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post on Sep 11, 2025

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EVERGREEN, Colo. — The 16-year-old boy who shot two schoolmates and then himself at Evergreen High School on Wednesday was “radicalized by some extremist network” before the attack, Jefferson County sheriff’s spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said.

The shooter, Desmond Holly, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators believe he opened fire just before 12:30 p.m. at the school at 29300 Buffalo Park Road, wounding two other students.

The two victims remained in critical condition Thursday at Denver-area hospitals.

Kelley did not offer details about how Desmond was radicalized or on what topics, but said investigators found evidence of the radicalization in his home and on his phone.

His parents and other relatives did not return requests for comment Thursday.

Desmond lived with his family in a sprawling mountain home on a private lane outside Kittridge, property records show. A road to the family’s house was blocked by a gate more than half a mile from the property.

On Wednesday, he rode the bus to school, Kelley said.

It was not immediately clear how he accessed the revolver he used in the attack or how he kept it hidden until midday.

Desmond brought “quite a bit of ammunition” with him, Kelley said. Authorities are still working to determine whether he targeted specific students, but noted he fired his gun many times throughout the school, she said.

“He would fire and reload, fire and reload,” Kelley said. “This went on and on. He tried to find new targets. He came up to a roadblock on many of those doors — he couldn’t get to those kids.”

Kelley said Desmond’s parents have cooperated with the investigation. Authorities are considering whether they could face criminal charges related to the attack or Desmond’s access to the gun.

“We have windows shot out, lockers shot up,” she said. “We are finding unspent rounds. It is a huge area… He fired multiple, multiple times.”

Evergreen High student Kai Taylor, 15, fled the shooting and sheltered in a nearby neighbor’s home. The sophomore said he knew Desmond in middle school and used to talk with him on the school bus frequently.

Taylor said they lost touch over the years.

“Even so, to know that you talked to someone like that — it almost disgusts me,” Taylor said Thursday.

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