18-year-old injured in Evergreen High School shooting identified as Matthew Silverstone

An 18-year-old student injured in a shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado has been publicly identified as Matthew Silverstone, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday. The alleged gunman, a 16-year-old student identified by authorities as Desmond Holly, later died at a hospital after apparently turning the weapon on himself.

Silverstone remains hospitalized after the Wednesday lunchtime shooting, the sheriff’s office said. Police said two young victims were wounded; as of Thursday morning both remained in the hospital, with one in critical condition and the other listed with non-life-threatening injuries. Silverstone’s family issued a statement through police asking for privacy while he recovers.

Jefferson County authorities said Holly rode the school bus to Evergreen High, roughly 30 miles west of Denver, and opened fire around lunchtime Wednesday. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley said Holly fired a revolver from outside the school, striking one student inside and another outside. Kelley said the suspect brought "quite a bit of ammunition with him, and he continued to reload."

Kelley told reporters that Holly tried to enter areas that had been locked down but was unable to get inside thanks to staff and students who followed safety training. Windows and lockers at the school were damaged by gunfire. "I think we’re very, very grateful that there were not more injuries," Kelley said.

The sheriff’s office announced on its Facebook page that Holly later died at a hospital. Police have not publicly identified the other injured student. Investigators have not said whether the two wounded students were targeted or were struck at random.

Kelley said investigators believe Holly "was radicalized by some extremist network," but she did not provide additional detail on that assessment. Authorities have been gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses as part of an ongoing investigation into the shooting and the shooter’s motives.

Evergreen High School is part of Jefferson County Public Schools, which also includes Columbine High School, the site of a deadly 1999 school shooting. The district did not immediately provide further comment beyond the sheriff’s office updates. School officials have said staff implemented lockdown procedures during and after the shooting and that counselors were made available to students and families.

Images from the scene show damage to exterior windows and school lockers. Law enforcement remained at the school following the incident, and investigators continued to work through Thursday to establish a full timeline of events and determine how Holly obtained the weapon and ammunition used.

Silverstone’s family said in the statement released by police that they "appreciate the community’s concern and support, but as we remain focused on our loved one’s recovery, we respectfully request privacy as we continue to heal and navigate the road ahead." Authorities urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.