A 19-year-old University of Colorado student was killed and another was left in critical condition after a shooting late Saturday at a house party near campus, authorities announced Sunday.
The incident occurred in the University Hill neighborhood of Boulder, near Seventh and Marine streets, about six blocks west of campus. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said both victims were 19-year-old male students at the university. Their names were withheld pending notification of relatives by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office.
The shooting marks the city’s first homicide of 2026, according to police.
Party shut down before gunfire
The gathering had initially been registered in advance under a joint program run by the city police and the university, Redfearn said at a Sunday news conference. Hundreds of people had gathered at the residence, which featured a live band.
Around 9:56 p.m., dispatchers alerted party organizers about a neighborhood noise complaint, Boulder police said. Officers arrived shortly after 10 p.m., determined the gathering was a nuisance, and cited the organizers. Officers also took one severely intoxicated individual into protective custody. Most attendees dispersed, leaving a smaller core group and residents inside the house, The Boulder Reporting Lab reported.
Roughly an hour and a half later, at 11:28 p.m., emergency dispatchers began receiving 911 calls reporting gunfire at the home. Redfearn said a group attempted to force its way into the residence to join the gathering before shots were fired inside.
Officers arrived within two minutes, found the two wounded students, and applied a tourniquet to one of them, Denver7 reported. Paramedics transported both victims to Boulder Community Hospital, where one succumbed to his injuries.
Search for persons of interest
Investigators interviewed approximately 20 witnesses and reviewed neighborhood video footage overnight. By Sunday morning, authorities released descriptions and doorbell camera images of two persons of interest seen at the residence immediately before the shooting.
Police described the individuals as:
- A man with short, dark hair and facial hair, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt under a black jacket.
- A man with short, dark hair, wearing a silver-colored chain necklace and a black shirt featuring the character Art the Clown.
Officials emphasized that the two men have not been labeled suspects, but detectives urgently want to question them. In a social media post Sunday, Boulder police stated they had no information indicating the suspects remained in the city.
“It is imperative that we speak with them,” Redfearn said during the press briefing.
Twentieth Judicial District Attorney Michael Dougherty said prosecutors and investigators have mounted a extensive joint operation. “Progress has already been made. We are very likely going to solve this crime, and I promise we will hold the shooter or shooters fully accountable for the devastation and trauma they’ve caused,” Dougherty told reporters.
Campus response and next steps
Following the shooting, University of Colorado police established a perimeter along the western side of the campus and assisted city detectives with witness interviews. The university noted that the party had no formal affiliation with the institution or a fraternity, the Daily Camera reported.
University of Colorado Police Chief Ashley Griffin called the violence a severe trauma for the school community. Campus officials confirmed that counseling services have been made available to affected students.
Both city and campus police said patrols will be intensified throughout University Hill in the coming days. Authorities have asked anyone with information, photos, or video recordings from the event to contact the Boulder Police Department dispatch center.
