Investigation into Evergreen High School shooting wraps, parents of shooter will not face charges
EVERGREEN, Colo. (KRDO) – The parents of the teenage gunman who critically wounded two students at Evergreen High School before taking his own life will not face charges, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of an investigation into the shooting.
On Sept. 10, 2025, 16-year-old Desmond Holly opened fire at Evergreen High School in the foothills west of Denver, firing around 20 rounds inside and outside the school and wounding two other students before turning the gun on himself.
READ MORE: Student recounts moments after two classmates shot in Evergreen High shooting
Jefferson County investigators said following the shooting, they were unable to speak with the gunman's parents, which complicated efforts to determine how he was able to gain access to the firearm or confirm its ownership history.
JCSO said local, state and federal investigators " exhausted every available avenue to establish a clear ownership history for the handgun."
Investigators were eventually able to trace the gun used in the shooting, identified as a Smith & Wesson .38 Special Revolver, back to its original purchaser, who bought the weapon in Florida in 1966.
However, their efforts to trace the ownership trail ended there, as the original owner is deceased, the sheriff's office said. Investigators interviewed his surviving family members in an effort to determine any subsequent ownership of the gun, but say those efforts were unsuccessful.
A DNA profile was found on the gun. Investigators obtained a court order to collect DNA samples from both of the shooter's parents, but an analysis showed there was no evidentiary link between the parents and the weapon.
The sheriff's office said new information emerged on Jan. 23, when the team's lead investigator was notified by the parent's attorney that the firearm was owned by a grandparent.
"The handgun was described as a family heirloom that was rarely seen or used and stored out of sight near the back of a large, locked gun safe," JCSO said. "According to the letter, the shooter did not have access to the safe, except for brief moments when it was opened by his father."
Throughout the investigation, JCSO said investigators reviewed potential charges against the parents surrounding secure firearm storage and providing a firearm to a juvenile – but ultimately, they determined there was no sufficient evidence to present the case to the district attorney's office for charges.
The sheriff's office said the case will be closed unless new evidence emerges that would warrant the filing of charges.
"The JCSO acknowledges that this was not the outcome many in our community hoped for," the sheriff's office said in a press release. "While not every investigation results in additional charges, our focus has always been on pursuing the truth and accountability wherever it could be legally established. We recognize the deep pain this tragedy continues to cause, and we share the community’s sorrow. The courage and character shown by the students and staff at Evergreen High School on September 10 was remarkable—and the heroism and commitment to protecting lives demonstrated by front-range first responders was extraordinary."
JCSO noted that its Victim Services Unit is still available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide emotional support and assistance to those impacted.
The Evergreen Resiliency Center is also officially open and available to support the community, serving as a space for students, faculty and family members to gather, connect and receive support.
"It is a place where individuals can feel safe, and heard - a place where peace, comfort, and healing can begin at each person’s own pace," JCSO said.
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