Updated at 12:07 p.m. on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
The teenager who opened fire at his classmates before shooting himself has been identified by authorities as 16-year-old Desmond Holly.
He rode the bus to the school Wednesday morning, according to authorities.
Holly died later that night at the hospital of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Holly brought multiple rounds of ammunition with him to the school.
Authorities still don’t know how Holly obtained the gun, but say his family is cooperating with the investigation. As of Thursday morning, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a warrant for Holly’s phone, locker, and his family’s home.
While authorities still don’t know Holly’s motive, public information officer with Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Jacki Kelley, said he “was radicalized by some extremist network.”
“The suspect's gun was fired a lot — he fired multiple, multiple times,” Kelley said.
The sheriff’s office said there were “hundreds” of witnesses. While it is still unclear whether the victims were targeted, Kelley told reporters Thursday morning that Holly’s attack appears to be both “random and targeted,” based on the number of rounds he fired.
Two of the victims were sent to St. Anthony Hospital; one is in critical condition. None of the victims have been released from the hospital, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.
“I can’t praise the staff and students enough for doing what they learned,” Kelley said. We’ve had our fair share of school shootings in JeffCo... They locked down and we know that it saved lives.”
