In a recent development, Colorado authorities announced they will not be filing gun-related charges against the parents of a teenager, Desmond Holly, who was involved in a school shooting last fall. This tragic incident occurred on September 10 at Evergreen High School, located roughly 30 miles west of Denver, resulting in two students sustaining life-threatening injuries.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reviewed the parents of the 16-year-old shooter for possible charges relating to firearm access or improper storage. However, after a thorough investigation, they concluded that there is not enough evidence to proceed.
During the incident at the school, Holly shot and injured two students before turning the gun on himself. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries. Investigators revealed that the weapon used in the shooting was a Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver, which was reportedly stored in a secure gun safe. DNA testing failed to connect either parent to the firearm.
The revolver was part of a family collection, and Holly didn’t have regular access to the gun safe.
Authorities stated that the parents were cooperative with the investigation, speaking to officials after the incident and providing written statements through their legal counsel. It’s been stressed that Holly acted alone, and the attack did not seem to target any specific individuals. Instead, it appeared to be a random act of violence.
Early in the investigation, there were concerns that Holly might have been influenced by an extremist network. However, further probing revealed that he was not actively associated with any specific extremist ideology. It did come to light, though, that Holly had a troubling obsession with previous school shooters, as evidenced by his online activities.
The Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism reviewed Holly’s digital footprint, finding that he had engaged with violent content online and made references to past mass shootings, notably the infamous attack at Columbine High School. It is noteworthy that Evergreen High School, where the incident took place, is situated in the same county as Columbine.
No additional comments have been made by the family’s attorney, although Fox News Digital has reached out for further statements.
Bradford Betz, a breaking reporter with Fox News Digital, provided crime coverage for this report.