Police outside Norlin Library at the University of Colorado Boulder, responding to reports of shots fired on Aug. 25, 2025. (Sagan Randall/CU Independent)
The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that it filed charges against a juvenile for the swatting incident at Norlin Library on Aug. 25. The U.S. Attorney’s office said the person was unaffiliated with the University of Colorado Boulder.
The investigation found that the person identified themselves as a member of the cybercriminal group “Purgatory.” According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, CU was one of a few institutions targeted at random by the defendant.
Around 5 p.m. on Aug. 25, emergency services received a fake emergency call about a shooter in Norlin Library. After putting a campus-wide shelter in place, various agencies cleared Norlin Library and Sewall Hall. The department found no injuries or suspects.
The CU Boulder Police Department said it assisted with the federal investigation. The university said investigators provided the FBI with “critical information” that led to the suspect’s arrest.
“Swatting calls have become an increasingly common crime because the perpetrators are often part of larger online cybercriminal communities and believe they will not be caught,” the university wrote in a news release. “The result of this case proves otherwise.”
Now, the FBI is requesting potential victims to fill out a questionnaire to identify victims and gain more information. All victim identities will remain confidential, according to the website.
Contact CU Independent News Editor Avery Clifton at Avery.Clifton@colorado.edu
