BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — A shooting near 13th Street and Canyon Boulevard happened Monday night around 10 p.m. The shooting prompted the third campuswide emergency alert since last week.
The University of Colorado Boulder sent out an emergency alert to students and faculty as the suspect was reportedly spotted near campus. The suspect was seen near CU family housing at 17th and Athens streets. Those in the area were asked to lock their doors and close their windows.
On Monday, Feb. 20, students and staff received an alert after a man started shooting near Millennium Hotel. Another was sent out on Wednesday, Feb. 22, after a hoax threat to Boulder High School.
“Kind of crazy. Feels a little close to home,” CU Boulder student Blaise McCabe said.
New CU Boulder alert system launched
CU Boulder Police launched a new alert system in October that sends out alerts for off-campus areas that are heavily populated with students. A spokesperson said that may be one reason for the uptick in alerts.
“We’re definitely aware that our students are receiving more alerts than they would have maybe a year ago before we expanded the alerts boundary, or they’re receiving alerts sooner for incidents that occur off campus,” said Christine Mahoney, CU Boulder Police spokesperson.
The expanded alert area, which is currently in a trial phase, includes the University Hill neighborhood, the Goss Grove neighborhood near Folsom Street and Canyon Boulevard, the Lower Chautauqua neighborhood and the residential neighborhood north of Williams Village.
“As soon as we’re able to confirm information in these areas of high student populations, if there’s a life-threatening incident, we share it,” Mahoney said.
The Problem Solvers found violent crime is up 40% in January and February of this year compared to 2021 and 2022. Since 2021, there have been more than a dozen violent crimes on 14th Street between Walnut Street and Canyon Boulevard. That’s just a block from the shooting that happened Monday night.
“I was just talking to a lot of students about it today and what a lot of students want is for the school to talk about it,” student Jake Topalian said. “And for the school to recognize how they’re going to keep us safe from that, because it’s happened three times this week. It’s sort of unbelievable, to be honest.
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