Breaking News: Boulder Police Department activity surrounding University Hill Elementary

UPDATED 1:53 p.m. MST: This morning at 9:30 a.m., an alert to CU Boulder and surrounding affiliates was sent in response to a wanted male in the 900 block of Broadway. 

Boulder Police Department and Boulder Valley School District quickly evacuated University Hill Elementary at 956 16th St., and CU Boulder police evacuated sororities, fraternities and residents to the east of the elementary school. Evacuated students were being sent to the UMC on campus. Road closures were in place westbound from 17th to 18th St. along Broadway St. but have since been lifted. 

A shelter in place order was issued by the Boulder PD at 10:05 a.m. for 955 Broadway and University Hill Elementary and the surrounding areas but was lifted at 12:42 p.m.

Boulder PD released an update at 10:46 a.m. stating no more information on the wanted male will be released at the time. The police said to have calmly brought the man into custody and held a briefing at 1:15 p.m.

In their briefing, Boulder police confirmed the wanted man was 31-year-old Matthew Christopher Harris, a former UCLA instructor who expressed threats of a mass shooting which caused the Los Angeles campus to go remote. 

UCLA officers tracked Harris to Colorado and worked with Boulder police to locate Harris’ Boulder location. Boulder SWAT officers located his apartment at 7:52 a.m. 

Boulder police mentioned their first interaction with Harris was in October 2021 and that he was denied access to obtaining a handgun in Jefferson County on Nov. 2. 

“Based on a protection order that was issued in the state of California, there was a national database that included a provision that he was not allowed to purchase a firearm … again it’s early in the investigation, but that was the basis for denial when he attempted to purchase a firearm in early November,” said District Attorney Michael Dougherty.

Boulder police representatives said the man had published an 800 page manifesto that “was very violent and disturbing.” 

Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said, “There were definitely references to Boulder in the manifesto and the University and schoolyard setting.”

Since this incident crosses state lines, federal authorities will be working closely with local agents to conduct an investigation, Doughtery said.

This article will be updated as more information is released.