BOULDER, Colo. — A suspect wanted in the deadly shooting of a CU Boulder student at a Halloween party over the weekend has been arrested, a spokesperson with Boulder Police Department said in a news release Monday.
Omar Perez, 18, of Thornton, was arrested earlier Monday on first-degree murder – extreme indifference and attempted first-degree murder – extreme indifference charges, the spokesperson said.
Perez is not a student at the campus, officials said.
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Though additional charges are possible for other people involved in the shooting, detectives believe this suspect is the only shooter, the release states.
The fatal shooting happened at around 11:28 p.m. Saturday at a home in the University Hill neighborhood near 7th and Marine streets – a home Boulder police had already responded to due to a noise complaint earlier in the day.
Police said several people were cited at the home where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate the holiday before the party was shut down by police. A smaller group remained inside the home, police said.
“Detectives believe a group of individuals later attempted to force their way into the house. Shortly after that scuffle, shots were fired inside the home, striking the two victims,” the Boulder PD spokesperson said. “The suspects then fled the scene.”
Two 19-year-old men, both CU students, were found by police with gunshot wounds and both were taken to a hospital for treatment. One of them later died of his injuries early Sunday, police said. In an update Sunday, police said the second victim was in critical condition. Their current condition is unknown at his time.
Persons of interest wanted for questioning by police
Police interviewed around 20 witnesses and identified two persons of interest whom they want to question.
One of the people of interest is a man with facial hair and short dark hair, wearing a red hoodie under a black jacket.
Two Men Shot, One Fatally, Overnight; Boulder Police Seek Public’s Help
— Boulder Police Dept. (@boulderpolice) November 1, 2026
Boulder, CO – Boulder Police detectives are asking for the public’s help as they investigate an overnight shooting on University Hill that killed one University of Colorado Boulder student and left another… pic.twitter.com/Mw6XyDsbfO
