Katie McCarthy
@katiemccarthy.bsky.social
Researcher | Youth Violence, Extremism & Online Safety | Views my own
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
It should be needless to say, but it is perhaps at this moment worth saying, that transgender individuals have the same right as anyone else to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
September 14, 2025 at 2:32 PM
It should be needless to say, but it is perhaps at this moment worth saying, that transgender individuals have the same right as anyone else to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
I wrote for @msnbc.com about what the engravings on the shell casings of Kirk’s shooter represent and where the references originated. Given what we know so far, they suggest a young man who had his brain fried by the irony poisoned, anti-social nature of certain aspects of online culture. /1
Opinion | What the shell casings in the assassination of Charlie Kirk do – and don't – tell us
There have been a string of shootings in the past year where the performance of online culture played a key role.
www.msnbc.com
September 14, 2025 at 11:44 AM
I wrote for @msnbc.com about what the engravings on the shell casings of Kirk’s shooter represent and where the references originated. Given what we know so far, they suggest a young man who had his brain fried by the irony poisoned, anti-social nature of certain aspects of online culture. /1
Before opening fire at his Colorado high school, a 16yo boy was active on a gore site, shared neo-Nazi views, idolized mass shooters, and acquired tactical gear. The warning signs were there—and they fit a pattern linked to at least 3 school shootings over the past year.
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org
September 13, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Before opening fire at his Colorado high school, a 16yo boy was active on a gore site, shared neo-Nazi views, idolized mass shooters, and acquired tactical gear. The warning signs were there—and they fit a pattern linked to at least 3 school shootings over the past year.
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
Every parent in America must make sure their kids aren't being brain-poisoned online. What are they seeing in chats? Who are they talking to? What about their friends? What do those random nonsense things they're saying actually mean?
This is our job now. Lives depend on it.
This is our job now. Lives depend on it.
September 12, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Every parent in America must make sure their kids aren't being brain-poisoned online. What are they seeing in chats? Who are they talking to? What about their friends? What do those random nonsense things they're saying actually mean?
This is our job now. Lives depend on it.
This is our job now. Lives depend on it.
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
If you see something graphic a thing you can do is not instinctively hit repost but take a few seconds and consider if everyone wants to be traumatized by that and choose not to be the person who forces it into their feed non consensually.
September 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM
If you see something graphic a thing you can do is not instinctively hit repost but take a few seconds and consider if everyone wants to be traumatized by that and choose not to be the person who forces it into their feed non consensually.
13 years old. I don't even know what to say...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Teen with 'school shooter ideations' arrested, authorities say
"It appeared the suspect had everything ready to go to commit a mass shooting type of incident," Deputy Carly Cappetto with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office said.
www.nbcnews.com
September 10, 2025 at 12:16 AM
13 years old. I don't even know what to say...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
Since the Annunciation shooting in Minneapolis, I have bee transcribing the attackers diary, I have transcribed 231 of 291 pages. The diary is handwritten with (mostly) Cyrillic letters to look “Russian” but are English words spelled phonetically.
August 29, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Since the Annunciation shooting in Minneapolis, I have bee transcribing the attackers diary, I have transcribed 231 of 291 pages. The diary is handwritten with (mostly) Cyrillic letters to look “Russian” but are English words spelled phonetically.
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
SCOOP
I spoke to the leader of the 764-linked swatting group that is behind the recent spare of hoax active shooter calls at university campuses across the US.
He claims to have earned $100,000 in the space of just six days
www.wired.com/story/purgat...
I spoke to the leader of the 764-linked swatting group that is behind the recent spare of hoax active shooter calls at university campuses across the US.
He claims to have earned $100,000 in the space of just six days
www.wired.com/story/purgat...
This Is the Group That's Been Swatting US Universities
WIRED spoke to a self-proclaimed leader of an online group called Purgatory, which charged as little as $20 to call in fake threats against schools.
www.wired.com
August 27, 2025 at 5:19 PM
SCOOP
I spoke to the leader of the 764-linked swatting group that is behind the recent spare of hoax active shooter calls at university campuses across the US.
He claims to have earned $100,000 in the space of just six days
www.wired.com/story/purgat...
I spoke to the leader of the 764-linked swatting group that is behind the recent spare of hoax active shooter calls at university campuses across the US.
He claims to have earned $100,000 in the space of just six days
www.wired.com/story/purgat...
Another school shooter, another tragedy marked by a disturbing obsession with violence and past mass killers. How many more will follow this path before we act?
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org
August 28, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Another school shooter, another tragedy marked by a disturbing obsession with violence and past mass killers. How many more will follow this path before we act?
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
These people are literally carrying out attacks for the lulz and because they want their five minutes of fame. It’s that simple.
When you tell people that these shooters shoot up a school to troll people, they look at you like you are insane because how could anyone do something so violent for so stupid a reason but it's absolutely true.
One hard part for normal people about handling postmodern extremism is that there's a heavy usage of irony that is explicitly done as a means to confuse
August 27, 2025 at 11:06 PM
These people are literally carrying out attacks for the lulz and because they want their five minutes of fame. It’s that simple.
Two teens. Two school shootings. One digital descent.
New COE research exposes the digital roots of the deadly violence carried out by the Abundant Life and Antioch school shooters in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively.
www.adl.org/pathways-you...
New COE research exposes the digital roots of the deadly violence carried out by the Abundant Life and Antioch school shooters in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively.
www.adl.org/pathways-you...
www.adl.org
August 24, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Two teens. Two school shootings. One digital descent.
New COE research exposes the digital roots of the deadly violence carried out by the Abundant Life and Antioch school shooters in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively.
www.adl.org/pathways-you...
New COE research exposes the digital roots of the deadly violence carried out by the Abundant Life and Antioch school shooters in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively.
www.adl.org/pathways-you...
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
all i want is to one day own a modest sized home in a walkable neighborhood and raise money for shelter animals. wear an outfit i like, walk to the grocery store, buy some nectarines, feed cats, and live in peace. just don't understand why achieving this is so hard
June 22, 2025 at 9:07 PM
all i want is to one day own a modest sized home in a walkable neighborhood and raise money for shelter animals. wear an outfit i like, walk to the grocery store, buy some nectarines, feed cats, and live in peace. just don't understand why achieving this is so hard
Welp, after five years I’ve finally ended up with Covid. And y’all weren’t kidding about how much it sucks - I feel like I’ve been run over by a train. Everything hurts. 😭
June 13, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Welp, after five years I’ve finally ended up with Covid. And y’all weren’t kidding about how much it sucks - I feel like I’ve been run over by a train. Everything hurts. 😭
Someone tell Zeus I’m stealing a lightning bolt if it gets me back to Athens.
June 9, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Someone tell Zeus I’m stealing a lightning bolt if it gets me back to Athens.
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
This marks a new low for Unity of Fields, a group promoting “militant direct actions.” By glorifying the DC Capitol Jewish Museum shooter in its propaganda, the group fosters an environment that not only excuses but also normalizes violence. Learn more:
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
May 26, 2025 at 1:18 AM
This marks a new low for Unity of Fields, a group promoting “militant direct actions.” By glorifying the DC Capitol Jewish Museum shooter in its propaganda, the group fosters an environment that not only excuses but also normalizes violence. Learn more:
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
"The ADL Center on Extremism has identified, with a high degree of confidence, Sean Salas of Allen, Texas, as a member of the group and likely its leader. ABM is primarily active in Texas, Florida and Georgia, and has alleged a propaganda reach far beyond those states."
www.adl.org/resources/ba...
www.adl.org/resources/ba...
www.adl.org
May 9, 2025 at 3:40 PM
"The ADL Center on Extremism has identified, with a high degree of confidence, Sean Salas of Allen, Texas, as a member of the group and likely its leader. ABM is primarily active in Texas, Florida and Georgia, and has alleged a propaganda reach far beyond those states."
www.adl.org/resources/ba...
www.adl.org/resources/ba...
USA! USA! USA!
Robert Prevost has been elected the first American pope in history.
Cardinal Prevost elected next pope, first American pontiff
Cardinals chose the new pope on their second day of the papal conclave.
www.pbs.org
May 8, 2025 at 5:57 PM
USA! USA! USA!
The crowd is chanting Pizzaballa. 🍕🙏
VATICAN CITY (AP) — White smoke pours from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signalling a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.
May 8, 2025 at 4:45 PM
The crowd is chanting Pizzaballa. 🍕🙏
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
A Texas neo-Nazi who I unmasked in 2023, David Bloyed, was found guilty on one count of communicating a threat online for posting an image of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk with the caption "getting the rope." He faces up to five years in prison.
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
Guilty! Texas neo-Nazi convicted for online threat against Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk
A federal court jury deliberated for less than an hour Wednesday before convicting a Texas neo-Nazi for posting an online threat against Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk.
www.newschannel5.com
May 7, 2025 at 9:17 PM
A Texas neo-Nazi who I unmasked in 2023, David Bloyed, was found guilty on one count of communicating a threat online for posting an image of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk with the caption "getting the rope." He faces up to five years in prison.
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
Rubio publicly criticizing an ally for cracking down on right-wing extremism. And Germany hitting back. We are in a new world
May 2, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Rubio publicly criticizing an ally for cracking down on right-wing extremism. And Germany hitting back. We are in a new world
Reposted by Katie McCarthy
The arrests of 764 leaders include Prasan Nepal, AKA Trippy, who was the leader of the group for a period, including during their collaboration with No Lives Matter
He made a name for himself in the network by creating edits of violent & graphic footage
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/l...
He made a name for himself in the network by creating edits of violent & graphic footage
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/l...
Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged for Operating Global Child Exploitation Enterprise
Leonidas Varagiannis, also known as “War,” 21, a citizen of the United States residing in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, also known as “Trippy,” 20, of North Carolina, were arrested and charg...
www.justice.gov
April 30, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The arrests of 764 leaders include Prasan Nepal, AKA Trippy, who was the leader of the group for a period, including during their collaboration with No Lives Matter
He made a name for himself in the network by creating edits of violent & graphic footage
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/l...
He made a name for himself in the network by creating edits of violent & graphic footage
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/l...
New from my team: Kids are role-playing real-life mass shootings in Roblox. One group, Active Shooter Studios, has attracted hundreds of fans through its recreations of Columbine, Uvalde, and other tragedies.
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
April 22, 2025 at 5:41 PM
New from my team: Kids are role-playing real-life mass shootings in Roblox. One group, Active Shooter Studios, has attracted hundreds of fans through its recreations of Columbine, Uvalde, and other tragedies.
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
www.adl.org/resources/ar...
From @usatoday.com: Research by the ADL reveals the suspected Florida State University gunman had a troubling fascination with Hitler, Nazis and other hate groups.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
New records show suspected FSU shooter had troubling fascination with hate groups
Records obtained by the Anti-Defamation League show the suspected Florida State University gunman held a fascination with Hitler and Nazi Germany.
www.usatoday.com
April 19, 2025 at 3:55 PM
From @usatoday.com: Research by the ADL reveals the suspected Florida State University gunman had a troubling fascination with Hitler, Nazis and other hate groups.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
Extremism researchers when they realize that the OKC, Waco, and Columbine anniversaries, Hitler’s birthday; Easter; and Passover are all this weekend.
a cartoon dog is sitting at a table with a cup of coffee surrounded by fire .
Alt: This is fine dog meme
media.tenor.com
April 19, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Extremism researchers when they realize that the OKC, Waco, and Columbine anniversaries, Hitler’s birthday; Easter; and Passover are all this weekend.
Strangers: “You’re a figure skater? You must be so graceful!”
Me: Lol. Lmao.
Me: Lol. Lmao.
April 18, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Strangers: “You’re a figure skater? You must be so graceful!”
Me: Lol. Lmao.
Me: Lol. Lmao.