This ISD Dispatch is part of a series designed to help those best placed to identify and respond to warning signs associated with the True Crime Community (TCC), including teachers, mental health practitioners, law enforcement and parents. The findings on the prevalence of TCC statement T-shirts may also help inform online platforms’ content moderation approaches by highlighting visual signals associated with TCC affiliation and potential intent to commit violence. Some of these warning signs, even those as overt as a statement of intent printed on a T-shirt, can easily be overlooked by those unfamiliar with what to look for.  

ISD continues to track a significant number of attacks and disrupted plots linked to TCC across the globe. In many cases, individuals signal their intentions to commit violence, either deliberately or inadvertently, through a behavior known as leakage. However, those most likely to encounter these warning signs before an attack, including peers, family members and other community contacts, may not recognize their significance or know how to respond.

Executive Summary

Violence linked to the TCC is memetic, imitative and rooted in an aesthetic presentation that alludes to the attacker’s affiliation or sources of inspiration. As such, visual signifiers play a central role in TCC attacks. While attackers often attempt to create their own aesthetic variations by adding, removing or altering components of an attack’s visual style, they fundamentally seek to imitate attackers they idolize through tactics. Although most individuals who engage with the TCC will not attempt violence, recognizing the significance of these shirts can be a critical opportunity to spot individuals who may need intervention to prevent violence or other harm.

The simplest and most recognizable manifestation of this behavior is the procurement and wearing of T-shirts. ISD has identified more than a dozen statement T-shirts worn by TCC-linked attackers prior to or during acts of violence, or featured in images they shared online. Notably, many of these shirts are readily available to purchase from mainstream online retailers. The three most commonly worn shirts during these attacks are all available online for as little as a few dollars from TikTok Shop, Redbubble, Temu, Etsy, AliExpress and Walmart:

• the WRATH and NATURAL SELECTION shirts based on those worn by the 1999 Columbine school shooters
• the HUMANITY IS OVERRATED shirt based on the one worn by the 2007 Finland school shooter

Key Findings

• T-shirts are an important part of the aesthetics of TCC-linked attackers. Future killers may design their own version of these shirts or wear exact replicas. In the past six months alone, imitation statement shirts were worn by a 13-year-old in South Africa who stabbed a six-year-old, a 13-year-old in Slovakia who killed his teacher and a classmate, and an 18-year-old in California who shot and killed two people in a library.
• Some of the shirts worn or popularized by TCC-linked attackers are readily available to purchase online. ISD found that these shirts, which bear slogans expressing violent, vengeful and misanthropic sentiments associated with the attackers who originally wore them, can be purchased on at least six platforms. Two of the most popular and well-known designs, WRATH and NATURAL SELECTION, were found across TikTok Shop, Redbubble, Temu, Etsy, AliExpress and Walmart, with 219 listings identified. The HUMANITY IS OVERRATED shirt was also found on AliExpress, Temu and TikTok Shop. These listings demonstrate how merchandise associated with mass attackers remains commercially available on mainstream online platforms, potentially allowing their slogans and associated symbolism to reach wider audiences.
• TCC-linked attackers have also created or commissioned custom shirts. While these may be harder to identify than previously mentioned designs, they frequently share common characteristics, including violent or nihilistic words or phrases, black, white and/or red capitalized block lettering, and plain backgrounds. The text is typically written in English or Cyrillic script (e.g. Russian). Such shirts may be homemade or produced using print-on-demand services. Recent cases include the ‘TMD’ (Total Migrant Death) shirt worn by a 13-year-old Italian boy in September who stabbed his teacher and a classmate who attempted to intervene, and the ‘MASSACRE’ shirt worn by an 18-year-old in Sweden who killed a classmate with a sword in August.
• Recognizing TCC-linked statement shirts can provide an opportunity for early intervention. While wearing one of these shirts does not necessarily indicate an intention to commit violence, it may warrant further attention, particularly when worn to school, paired with weapons or tactical gear, or observed alongside other warning signs.
• TCC participants have been observed advising one another on how to conceal the meaning of these shirts from concerned parents, for example, by claiming they are from a film or intended for cosplay. Awareness of these tactics can help parents and caregivers recognize potential attempts to disguise concerning references and prompt them to look up unfamiliar slogans or imagery.

Methodology

Between September 9 and September 24, 2026, ISD analysts used the search functions of seven platforms that allow independent sellers to list products: T-shirts: TikTok Shop, Redbubble, Temu, Etsy, AliExpress, Walmart and Amazon.

These shirts were selected because they are three of the most commonly worn by TCC-linked attackers during attacks and/or in images shared online prior to the attack.

Analysts searched for the text featured on three of the most popular and unambiguously TCC-linked shirts (WRATH, NATURAL SELECTION and HUMANITY IS OVERRATED), using different combinations of “shirt” or “T-shirt.” They reviewed notable search results and additional recommended products from each online retailer. Shirts bearing the words WRATH, NATURAL SELECTION or HUMANITY IS OVERRATED but not featuring the same aesthetic worn by TCC-linked attackers were excluded. Shirts that did not contain the exact text but explicitly referenced specific mass shootings were included when they appeared in search results. The goal of this Dispatch is to highlight easily recognizable trends in nihilistic violence, not to provide a comprehensive overview of all aesthetic references.

Although ISD did not identify relevant listings through its searches on Amazon, analysts have observed references in relevant online forums to TCC participants purchasing these shirts through the platform.

Role of Aesthetics in the TCC

A perpetrator’s aesthetics, social media content and attack characteristics are central to both the fandom and imitative violence aspects of the TCC. An attacker’s choices around their outfit, weapons, targets and overall presentation shape how they will be portrayed by news media and perceived by future fans. These choices can also pay homage to their sources of inspiration, provide elements for future attackers to imitate, and perhaps most importantly, signal their affiliation to others involved in the TCC.

TCC attackers strive for notoriety and recognition. Referencing or imitating attackers who have already attained celebrity status within the TCC is a reliable way to grab the attention of other fans. Appearance is therefore an important part of this pursuit of notoriety, with clothing worn during an attack or featured in social media posts beforehand helping attackers establish their desired identity within the community.

Since 2024, ISD has identified at least 21 instances of violent attacks in which the perpetrators wore or had previously been photographed wearing TCC-linked statement shirts. A few made their own statement shirts, but most imitated an existing one. Eight of these were the WRATH or NATURAL SELECTION shirts worn by the Columbine shooters. One perpetrator made their WRATH shirt themselves, while the others appear to have purchased theirs online. Other examples included the ‘НЕНАВИСТЬ’ (‘hatred’) shirt originally worn by the perpetrator of the 2018 Kerch Polytechnic shooting and the HUMANITY IS OVERRATED shirt originally worn by the 2007 Jokela (Finland) shooter. These are the most common and most unambiguous statement shirts worn by attackers.

Accessibility of Shirts

Online sales

ISD identified 219 listings for WRATH, NATURAL SELECTION and HUMANITY IS OVERRATED shirts across six platforms: TikTok Shop, Temu, Etsy, Redbubble, AliExpress and Walmart. Across platforms where sales figures were available, these listings accounted for at least 3,339 reported sales.[1] However, sales figures were not available for all listings, and some platforms displayed estimates (such as “500+”) rather than exact figures. Prices were not included because they fluctuate frequently and may vary depending on factors such as location and browsing history.

The highest number of listings for these shirts was found on Temu; however, there is evidence to suggest that sales volumes may be considerably higher on AliExpress. According to self-reported data, one AliExpress seller has sold more than 1,000 NATURAL SELECTION shirts. Based on reported seller information, most sellers appear to be print-on-demand services based in China. ISD also identified sellers operating from other locations, including New York and Colorado, although these appear to be largely dropshippers rather than storefronts that source and stock their own inventory. ISD did not identify any dedicated TCC merchandise shops on the major retail platforms examined. Instead, most sellers offer a wide variety of shirts featuring catchphrases and slogans, suggesting that they may not be aware of the significance of the designs they sell. Nevertheless, these listings make it easy for TCC-linked individuals to purchase shirts associated with mass shootings, while sellers and platforms continue to profit from the promotion and glorification of mass shootings.

Reviews of shirts sold also provide evidence that TCC-linked minors are buying them. For example, in June 2026, a user on AliExpress wrote a review of the NATURAL SELECTION shirt that they purchased, alongside a cartoon image of the Columbine attackers. The same month, a user who purchased a WRATH shirt wrote a review that contained “we love dylan Klebold!” in celebration of the Columbine shooter. Another reviewer from September 2026 coyly wrote that the shirts had been purchased “to become a bit more popular at school,” suggesting the purchaser may be of school age and understands the shirts’ association with school shooters and their pursuit of notoriety. A May 2026 review stated “I love i havent worn yet since im hiding it from my mom.. but its so cute !! good quality too.” Anonymous users on TikTok also posted about hiding their shirts from their parents and occasionally solicited advice on where to purchase the shirts without the assistance or awareness of adults.

Custom

Some attackers have created their own shirts as either homemade projects or ordered custom prints. This may be done if an attacker cannot order the shirt they want online (due to availability, price or concerns they will be caught), feels that there is a rush to carry out an attack, or is trying to design unique branding rather than copying an existing shirt. While these can be harder to identify than the highly recognizable WRATH, NATURAL SELECTION or HUMANITY IS OVERRATED shirts, most niche and custom TCC-linked shirts share the following common characteristics:

• words or phrases referencing killing, misanthropy, revenge, violence or pain
• short words or phrases, typically in all capital block letters on a plain background,
• black, white, and/or red text
• use of English language or Cyrillic script, even if the perpetrator has no knowledge of or connection to languages that use the Cyrillic alphabet.

Examples of language used on homemade shirts by TCC-linked attackers include Rot World, Reject Degeneracy, НЕТ ПОЩАДЫ (‘no mercy’), Remember Columbine, РАЗОЧАРОВАНИЕ (‘disappointment’) and HURT.

Conclusion

The ability to identify when a person is wearing a shirt linked to the TCC can provide an early warning sign for needed intervention. However, it is important to note that the shirts alone do not constitute evidence of homicidal intent or ideation. Some shirts that are very popular within the TCC community might be worn for entirely unrelated reasons.

For example, shirts featuring imagery from the band KMFDM are popular among TCC participants because the band was one of the favorites of the Columbine shooters.[2] The band’s imagery has continued to appear in subsequent attacks, including the Abundant Life shooting, whose perpetrator was photographed wearing a KMFDM shirt. Subsequent attackers have also worn these shirts, drawing inspiration from both the Abundant Life shooter and the Columbine school shooters. However, KMFDM is an established band with fans who wear its merchandise independently of any association with school shootings or the TCC. The full context of the material worn by an individual and the presence of other warning signs is necessary to determine whether there is a legitimate threat. Regardless, ISD research has shown that acquiring of one of these shirts often represents one of the first times a person escalates their online idolization of mass shooters to offline behaviors, potentially indicating an escalation towards mobilization to violence. The significance of this behavior should always be assessed alongside other warning signs and risk factors such as:

• access to or acquisition of weapons and/or tactical gear
• obsession with death or violence
• alluding to attack plans online or in person
• a history of suicidal/homicidal gestures or behaviors
• withdrawing from friends and family, and any other relevant habits, interests, or circumstances that may contribute to a person’s wellbeing

 

End Notes         

[1] ISD also searched for the shirts on Amazon; however, no WRATH or NATURAL SELECTION shirts were found at the time the searches were conducted.

[2] KMFDM released a statement after the Columbine shooting denouncing the attack.