Boulder Police responding to reports of shots fired outside the Millennium Harvest House in Boulder. (Henry Larson / CU Independent)
The Boulder Police Department (BPD) responded to a report of shots fired at the Millenium Harvest House on 28th Street, according to an emergency alert sent to campus community members at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 20.
The hotel sits just east of the University of Colorado Boulder’s main campus.
The alert advised community members to avoid the area, which is just north of campus. Campus operations were not affected, although the CU Boulder Police Department (CUPD) assisted in responding to the incident. Other municipal police departments, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and SWAT officers also responded to the scene.
BPD issued a shelter-in-place order for residents who live in the area, which includes Taft Drive to Arapahoe Avenue and 28th to Folsom Streets.
As of 12 p.m., Boulder police lifted the shelter-in-place order and gave an all-clear for the surrounding area.
No fatalities or injuries were reported after officers searched the hotel.
“There is no threat to the CU Boulder campus,” read a CU advisory updated just before 2 p.m.
Community members should expect a continued police presence at the hotel, according to the advisory.
According to a release, police identified the suspects room and as they approached the suspect ran out, down a flight of stairs and exited through a back door and began running toward Folsom Street before officers took him into custody just before 11 a.m.
The suspect was then transported to the hospital to be evaluated for injuries. After a full evaluation, he will be taken to the county jail.
Police identified the suspect as 45-year-old Antonio Orlando Lucero.
Lucero was registered as a guest at the hotel. Shots were fired in the room the suspect was staying in, according to BPD Public Information Officer Dionne Waugh.
Officers found two handguns and a further investigation revealed several shots were fired in the area of the hotel and at least one hit an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot.
Lucero faces possible charges including possession with intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice and a special offender charge for intent while in possession of a firearm.
“We’re grateful for the swift response by all of the officers involved who prevented this incident from escalating any further,” Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said.
Detectives are still looking for additional witnesses and ask anyone with any information about this incident to call Boulder police Detective Burke at 303-441-4483 and reference case No. 23-01694.
Campus resources for university community members seeking support can be found here.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Henry Larson and Will Oster contributed to this reporting.
Contact CU Independent Breaking News Editor Celia Frazier at Celia.Frazier@colorado.edu.
