Lawmakers, Evergreen shooting survivors push bill requiring faster social media response to violent threats
EVERGREEN, Colo. (KRDO) – Five months after a student opened fire at Evergreen High School, critically wounding two students before taking his own life, survivors of the shooting are working with lawmakers on new legislation aimed at preventing future violence by speeding up how social media companies respond to threats.
On Monday, federal and state lawmakers joined Evergreen students inside the very building where they once sheltered to announce a proposal that would require social media platforms to respond to warrants involving credible threats of violence within 72 hours.
READ MORE: Student recounts moments after two classmates shot in Evergreen High shooting
Officials have pointed to the Evergreen shooting as an example of online missed warning signs. Long before shots were fired on Sept. 10, concerns about the eventual gunman had already been raised with federal authorities.
75 days before the attack, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a group that monitors online hate speech and extremism, sent a tip to the FBI raising concerns about the shooter, 16-year-old Desmond Holly. The ADL reported that Holly had developed what it described as a "deep fascination with mass shooters," had "expressed neo-Nazi views" online, and had an account on a website dedicated to gore, which has been used by multiple other mass attackers.
Investigators say that at the same time, offline, Holly had begun amassing tactical gear and preparing for the attack.
According to our Denver news partners, the FBI filed multiple search warrants in response to the tip, hoping to obtain the IP address, URLs, and a home address linked to the account – but that information didn't reach local authorities until briefings two days after the shooting.
State and federal leaders are now saying delays by social media companies in responding to subpoenas are partly to blame, and they’re pushing new legislation to directly address the issue.
On Jan. 9, Democratic U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen unveiled a new bill at the Wulf Recreation Center in Evergreen, where students took cover during last fall’s shooting.
According to Petterson, the federal legislation – titled the "Evergreen Community Safety Act" – would require social media and telecommunications companies to respond to FBI subpoenas and warrants related to credible threats within 72 hours, instead of the 35 days they're currently allowed.
In a release, Pettersen argued that requiring faster responses could provide law enforcement with the time they need to intervene and potentially save lives before violence occurs.
"In the weeks before the shooting, there were warning signs online, yet law enforcement didn’t get the information they needed in time. This legislation closes a dangerous gap by requiring social media companies to respond to credible threats more quickly and prevent tragedies like this one from happening again," Pettersen said. "While we know this is a complicated issue, we also know that the radicalization of kids online and easy access to firearms can be a lethal combination."
State Rep. Tammy Story said she plans to introduce a similar bill at the state level this week. The companion state measure would set the deadline at 24 hours.
The lawmakers also announced two other pieces of legislation on Monday in the aftermath of the shooting:
- The Community Firearm Safety Act would fund grants under the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program for localities to distribute safe firearm storage boxes to community members.
- The Community Risk Training and Response Act would create a grant program through the Attorney General's office to fund up to $500,000 for training for law enforcement, teachers and health care workers in extreme risk protection orders known as red flag laws.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
