The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has completed its investigation into the shooting at Evergreen High School. According to officials, the inquiry faced challenges because investigators were unable to interview the shooter’s parents, making it difficult to determine how the firearm was accessed and to confirm its ownership history.
Law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation included the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Field Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The weapon used in the incident was identified as a Smith & Wesson .38 Special Revolver. Investigators traced it back to its original purchase in Florida in 1966 but could not establish further ownership after learning that the original owner had died. Interviews with surviving family members did not yield new information about subsequent ownership.
A DNA profile found on the firearm led investigators to obtain a court order for DNA samples from the shooter’s parents. Analysis excluded both parents as contributors, leaving no evidentiary link between them and the weapon.
On January 23, 2026, new details emerged when an attorney for the shooter’s parents informed investigators that a maternal grandparent owned the gun. The handgun was described as a rarely used family heirloom stored at the back of a locked gun safe. According to this account, “the shooter did not have access to the safe, except for brief moments when it was opened by his father.”
Throughout their work on this case, investigators consulted with the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office regarding possible charges against the shooter’s parents under Colorado statutes requiring secure firearm storage and prohibiting providing firearms to juveniles. Ultimately, authorities determined there was insufficient evidence for probable cause or legal grounds to pursue charges.
“This case will be closed, pending the emergence of new evidence that would warrant the filing of charges,” officials stated.
The Sheriff’s Office acknowledged community disappointment with these findings: “We remained fully committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation, guided by facts and law. While not every investigation results in additional charges, our focus has always been on pursuing truth and accountability wherever it could be legally established. We recognize the deep pain this tragedy continues to cause, and we share our community’s sorrow.”
Support services remain available through JCSO’s Victim Services Unit around-the-clock for those affected by this event. Additionally, resources can be accessed at https://massviolence.help/evergreen-co.
The Evergreen Resiliency Center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., offering support for students, faculty, families and others impacted by this tragedy at 5120 CO Rd 73 in Evergreen.
