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Two Teens. Two School Shootings. One Digital Descent.
The experts at the ADL Center on Extremism (COE) have just released a chilling and important new project on the dangers of online communities and platforms that blend extremism with violent gore.
Our analysts traced the striking similarities in the online activity of teen school shooters Natalie Rupnow (Abundant Life Christian School, WI) and Solomon Henderson (Antioch High School, TN). Both spent months in extremist and gore communities (including WatchPeopleDie) where they engaged with white supremacists, violent misogynists and antisemites before their attacks.
In this special report, you can follow along in an interactive timeline that shows Rupnow and Henderson’s descent into violence, and learn how these digital spaces can quickly turn feelings of alienation and other grievances into contemplation of deadly violence.
As part of the release of these insights, ADL is taking action. We are helping law enforcement, educators and parents to understand the dangers of these online communities and activities. Moreover, ADL is reaching out to 16,000 school superintendents with this research and is urging them to consider how their students may be able to access the type of dangerous content highlighted in the timeline while on their campuses and in their classrooms.
In addition to the timeline, COE released in-depth research about the WatchPeopleDie website, and about how white supremacists recruit young people.
We welcome you to read and share ADL’s social media posts about the online footprints leading to these deadly rampages.
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A Unified Agenda for Safeguarding Campuses from Hate: ADL, in partnership with Hillel International, the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, has just released a
clear set of recommendations to help universities create more inclusive campuses for all. This campus safety playbook asks schools to commit to a set of essential steps to provide a safe and welcoming environment for everyone on campus. For news and analysis on campus and K-12 antisemitism, subscribe to our Campus Briefing newsletter.
Healthcare Workers for Palestine: What You Need to Know:
Healthcare Workers for Palestine (HCW4P) is a loose U.S.-based network of anti-Zionist healthcare professionals and students who promote extreme anti-Israel beliefs. These beliefs include calls to eradicate Zionism, the glorification of terror and the use of antisemitic tropes. HCW4P’s activities include organizing anti-Israel protests, rallies and die-ins; publishing and distributing articles and leading campaigns and boycotts. Protests organized by HCW4P have frequently featured support for violence and U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.
Read more analysis from ADL experts.
Action Against Arsonists:
After the suspected arson of three vehicles and nearby antisemitic graffiti in the residential neighborhood of Clayton, Missouri, ADL is stepping up alongside the St. Louis Jewish Federation to provide a $30,000 reward for information leading to arrests in the case, which is being investigating as a hate crime. ADL Heartland Regional Director Jordan Kadosh called for those responsible to be arrested, saying “antisemitic hate crimes are unacceptable, have no place in Missouri, and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
Read media coverage of the apparent arson.
Raising Concerns in Guatemala:
ADL’s international affairs team was in Guatemala last week, visiting the small but vibrant Jewish community and meeting with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo. During our meeting with the country’s leader, we relayed our concern about results in ADL’s G100 international antisemitism survey,
which found that 44% of those surveyed harbor some antisemitic attitudes. This data is surprising given that Guatemala has long been a country that has embraced Jews and Israel. We also discussed the US State Department Global Guidelines for Combatting Antisemitism, as well as Holocaust education and other education programs to fight hate.
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A Win in Toronto:
ADL supported our partners at CIJA (the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs) in urging the Toronto International Film Festival to reconsider its decision to remove “The Road Between Us,” which chronicles retired IDF Maj. Gen. Noam Tibon’s efforts to rescue his family during the 10/7 Hamas attacks, as well as aiding Nova Music Festival survivors and wounded soldiers. In addition to public statements to raise awareness of the situation, ADL wrote to the festival organizers, urging a reversal and offering to work with them to address concerns. Following widespread advocacy and CIJA’s campaign, the film was reinstated;
ADL thanks everyone who elevated the message and we urge Canadians to see the film and share its message.
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Speak up now with ADL! We refuse to accept hate on campuses. Contact your alma mater and other universities you're connected to and urge them to adopt the unified agenda of essential safety measures outlined above that were issued by ADL and our partners. Help universities create more inclusive campuses for all.
Click here to choose your school and make your voice heard.
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