Friends and roommates of Luca Hanlon remembered the 19-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student as a dependable friend and someone they admired after he was killed in a Halloween night shooting at a Boulder house. A second CU Boulder student wounded in the shooting remained hospitalized as of Nov. 2 and had not been publicly identified.
The Boulder County Coroner confirmed Hanlon's identity, and the university said he was a second-year media production student in its College of Communication, Media, Design and Information. Outside the home, flowers, cards and candles formed a growing memorial for the two students. Residents Peter Fahey and Jack Anderson told Denver7 that the victims were their close friends and roommates.
Fahey said the support surrounding Hanlon reflected the kind of person he had been, with people throughout Boulder reaching out and rallying around those grieving. Anderson described Hanlon as his best friend, someone who offered comfort during difficult moments and shared in life's celebrations. "He was who I aspired to be in life," Anderson said.
Police arrested Omar Perez, 18, of Thornton, who faces charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and attempted murder. Investigators said Perez is not a CU student. Police believe he was the only alleged shooter, although other people could face additional charges.
The shooting followed a party near 7th and Marine streets in the University Hill neighborhood on Saturday, Oct. 31. Police said the gathering had been registered with the department beforehand. Deputy Chief of Operations Barry Hartkopp explained that registration gives dispatchers a host's contact information so they can notify the host about noise complaints and allow 20 minutes to bring a gathering into compliance or end it.
Dispatchers began contacting the host about noise complaints shortly before 10 p.m., according to police. Officers later went to the house, issued a nuisance-party ticket and closed down the gathering. About 90 minutes afterward, police said, a group that included Perez tried to force its way inside. Arrest documents describe a fight during which Perez allegedly drew a gun and shot the two students. The group then left.
Hartkopp said additional officers were working in the area for the holiday weekend and several arrived to provide immediate aid. One officer applied a tourniquet to a victim's leg and remained with that person until the ambulance departure. Community assistance also helped investigators make the arrest, he said. Detectives conducted more than 30 interviews, canvassed the neighborhood, received numerous tips and collected more than 50 video feeds.
CU Boulder said its Dean of Students Office and Office of Victim Assistance were coordinating with university and city police to communicate with and support Hanlon's family and affected students, faculty and staff. The university also requested privacy for his loved ones. Anderson and Fahey expressed appreciation for the community's support as they continued grieving.
Police asked anyone with information to contact detectives at 303-441-3333 and submit photographs or videos online. Hartkopp emphasized that the arrest was one step in an ongoing investigation, with further work needed to gather evidence for the district attorney's office.
