You Can Buy T-Shirts Glorifying Mass Shootings Almost Anywhere Online

T-shirts with phrases like Natural Selection and Wrath associated with infamous mass shootings are widely available on at least six major online retailers, according to a new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. The analysis found such apparel being sold on TikTok Shop, Redbubble, Temu, Etsy, AliExpress, and Walmart.

The shirts, modeled after those worn by the Columbine shooters, are part of an online community known as the True Crime Community (TCC) that revels in this aesthetic, using it as a means to valorize and motivate nihilistic violence, according to the report.

True Crime Community Connection

Katherine Keneally, ISD's senior director of threat analysis and prevention, explains that the TCC is a predominantly online fandom that is rooted in an obsession with mass killers, regardless of the mass killer's motivation. These shirts offer a covert way for members to endorse such massacres while remaining undetected by outsiders.

Retailer Responses

TikTok US stated that discriminatory and offensive products are prohibited from sale on TikTok Shop and will be removed. Redbubble confirmed it prohibits content that glorifies or trivializes violence and had already removed the flagged Wrath and Natural Selection shirts. Other retailers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The ISD report cites real-world incidents connected to these shirts, including a 13-year-old arrested in South Africa for stabbing while wearing a Wrath shirt and an 18-year-old accused of fatally shooting two people in a California library while wearing a Natural Selection tee.

Youth Involvement

The TCC's messaging often flies under the radar, with younger members trading tips on how to disguise the meaning of paraphernalia. Screenshots show TikTok users asking how to convince parents to buy these shirts, with commenters suggesting they claim the phrases refer to movies, games, or brands.

Product reviews reveal the admiration TCC enthusiasts have for mass shooters. One customer wrote we love dylan klebold! while another described a Natural Selection shirt as so cute and good quality too. A third ominously noted they would use their Wrath shirt to become a bit more popular at school.

Warning Signs

While wearing these shirts doesn't necessarily indicate planning for violence, Keneally acknowledges they can be warning signs when combined with other factors like access to weapons or violent statements. If they have access to weapons or maybe another student has heard them talk about committing violence, then it can help serve as a warning sign and provide an opportunity for intervention, she says.

The ISD plans to release additional research on warning signs of future attacks, aiming to help parents, teachers, and law enforcement identify at-risk youth. It shouldn't be that easy to access, Keneally emphasizes regarding the problematic apparel.