Media Mentions
August 13, 2026
ISD’s Katherine Keneally speaks to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the True Crime Community
Individuals of all ages are engaging in the glorification of mass killers in online groups known as true crime communities (TCC).
The Apalachee High School shooter—a 14-year-old boy who fatally shot four people and injured seven others—is a recent example of an individual who spent years immersed in TCC. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution interviewed ISD’s Katherine Keneally to discuss the online realm where the shooter spent his time.
Katherine explained that actors inspired by the TCC are not seeking violence to further an ideological goal but to gain notoriety.
“What they’re doing is often violence for violence’s sake while becoming famous,” Katherine said. “They want their face out there and their materials out there so once the attack has happened and they’re gone, they continue to be venerated amongst the community.”
The outlet also cited ISD’s 2025 annual review of US plots and attacks, which identified that of the incidents with discernible threat actor types, subcultures of nihilistic violence (including TCC) motivated the most incidents.
Katherine discussed the issues law enforcement faces in preventing these shootings, as they are largely unable to act before a crime is committed and struggle to identify who is going to go through with their claims.
“We don’t have a good system in the United States presently that enables or empowers frontline practitioners to be able to de-radicalize and off-ramp and intervene in these cases where somebody’s clearly radicalizing,” Katherine said. “In an ideal world, we would be intervening much earlier.”
Katherine highlighted the importance of parents, teachers, and other adults involved in kids’ lives in identifying the warning signs.
The full article is available on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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