A University of Colorado Boulder student died and another was critically injured following a shooting at a Halloween house party. Police responded to reports of a shooting at a home in the University Hill neighborhood around 11:28 p.m. on Saturday.
The unidentified 19-year-old student was transported to Boulder Community Hospital, where he died Sunday morning. A second 19-year-old male student was also injured and remains in critical condition, according to authorities.
Investigators believe a group of individuals attempted to force their way into the home after the party had begun to disperse. Shortly after a scuffle, shots were fired inside the residence, striking the two victims. Police are seeking two persons of interest in connection with the incident. One suspect is described as a man with short, dark hair and facial hair, who was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt under a black jacket. The second person of interest is described as a man with short, dark hair, wearing a black shirt featuring "Art the Clown" from the Terrifier franchise and a silver-colored chain necklace.
Ring camera footage shared by the Boulder Police Department shows individuals leaving with a group before turning back and re-entering the home. Residents were allowed to return to their homes by approximately 2 a.m., with suspects believed to have left the city.
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn stated that the party had been registered in advance with the university and featured a live band with hundreds of attendees. "My heart breaks for the victims and for everyone impacted by this senseless violence," Redfearn said. "Our community deserves to feel safe, and we will not accept this kind of violence in Boulder."
The University of Colorado Boulder released a statement expressing deep sadness and offering support to those impacted by the off-campus shooting. "This is an incredibly traumatic event for our campus community," the statement read. Additional officers are patrolling the University Hill neighborhood in response to the incident.