Online gore forums cited as gateway to extremism fueling mass shootings, experts warn

Authorities are examining the online activity of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative speaker Charlie Kirk, according to law-enforcement officials familiar with the case. Experts warn that online gore forums and other digital subcultures can serve as gateways to extremism, normalizing graphic violence for younger users and shaping attitudes before real-world actions.

Investigators describe the incident as calculated. Robinson is alleged to have engineered escape routes and left behind a detailed digital trail. 'This one is incredibly interesting because of how long he says, through the text that has been disclosed, he had been planning this and for how long it seems like he laid in wait,' Brauchler said. 'Most of them have no plans to escape. They have plans to die right there, either by their hand or the good guys who stop them. But this is someone who planned to get away with this. He’s different in a way.'

Columbine’s enduring shadow remains a touchstone for copycats, according to Brauchler. He notes that digital networks today magnify a mythos around tragedies. 'What’s different now is the real-time exposure. Kids see killings and violence on social media instantly, up close. That kind of desensitization didn’t exist during Columbine or Aurora.' The shift from fantasy online to real-world violence has become a growing concern for investigators and researchers.

On Sept. 10, 2025, a 16-year-old named Desmond Holly carried out a shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado, injuring two classmates before taking his own life. At a press briefing the following day, a spokesperson from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office stated that Holly had been 'radicalized by some extremist network,' though declined to go into further detail. The Associated Press and the ADL Center on Extremism have documented how online spaces can drive such radicalization, particularly when young people spend time in forums that celebrate violence and curate a steady stream of graphic content.

According to the ADL’s Center on Extremism, the pattern of online exposure fueling real-world violence has emerged in multiple incidents involving minors over the past year. Investigators found that Holly maintained an account on a graphic-content forum called WatchPeopleDie, where he interacted with posts discussing mass shootings in Parkland (2018), Buffalo (2022), and a 2017 attack at a mosque in Quebec City, according to the ADL report. Records indicate the shooter joined the platform on Dec. 26, 2024, placing him among a cohort of other school attackers who had similarly immersive online histories.

The ADL’s August 2025 findings show that the platform frequently hosts white supremacist, antisemitic, and other extremist material. Users, including minors, are exposed to highly graphic violence that is often celebrated within the community, a dynamic the organization says can desensitize viewers and heighten the risk of radicalization and ideologically driven violence. The report also notes that similar attackers tied to Madison, Wisconsin, and Nashville, Tennessee, incidents were active on WatchPeopleDie, reinforcing concerns about how online spaces can connect disparate cases across regions. A separate account in Morocco linked to a planned mass stabbing was circulated on WatchPeopleDie, as well as on X and 8kun, illustrating how conspiratorial content can propagate across platforms. Still, confronting these spaces poses constitutional challenges. 'I’m not ready to trade the First Amendment for an extra layer of security,' Brauchler said. 'But we have to invest in law enforcement and digital forensics. These sites are out there, and they’re dangerous.'

Experts emphasize prevention and community vigilance. 'See something, say something' is a refrain that authorities echo after cases where tips thwarted plots, including at Mountain Vista High School. Some advocates argue for a layered safety approach that includes trained school resource officers in buildings, alongside targeted monitoring and rapid response capabilities. 'Mass shooters are cowards,' Brauchler said bluntly. 'They plan from the standpoint of two beliefs. One, that they will have the upper hand because of surprise, and two, they will be the only guns in the school. It’s not 100% guarantee, but they tend not to act when they see a uniformed officer.'

While no system can guarantee safety, officials say a combination of digital forensics, proactive policing, and community reporting can disrupt threats before they materialize. 'Evil exists,' Brauchler concluded. 'But when communities remain alert and law enforcement has the tools to monitor threats, tragedies can be prevented.'