The FBI missed warning signs once again in a tragedy that could have been prevented. Sixteen-year-old Desmond Holly, accused of shooting two classmates at Evergreen High School before taking his own life, had a disturbing online trail of neo-Nazi content and praise for past mass shootings — and the FBI knew about it.
The agency admitted that it was tipped off about Holly’s activity in July but said investigators “continued to work this assessment investigation to identify the name and location of the user up and until September 10, 2025.” By that time, Holly’s identity was still officially “unknown,” and the agency claimed there was “no probable cause for arrest or additional law enforcement action.”
The Anti-Defamation League revealed Holly had commented on mass shooting posts, collected tactical gear “with extremist symbols,” and posted content “emulating former shooters such as Rupnow and the 1999 Columbine High School shooters.” TikTok later confirmed that his accounts were banned for white supremacist symbolism.
As Sen. Chris Coons admitted, “Young people can readily access extremist content and visual depictions of graphic violence… potentially desensitizing them to such content and increasing the risk of ideologically-motivated violence.”
This case highlights a familiar failure by federal authorities: they often track dangerous individuals but fail to act before tragedy strikes.
