‘Purge’-masked suspect accused of killing college student; sister helps nab him

Colorado police have identified the people sought in security footage released after a Halloween party shooting that killed a University of Colorado Boulder student, as prosecutors consider additional charges.

On Thursday, Boulder Police Public Information Officer Dionne Waugh confirmed to Fox News Digital that "everyone in the photos and video we released" has now been identified.

The primary suspect, Omar Perez, 18, faces murder and related charges in the death of Luca Hanlon, 19, following a deadly confrontation at an off-campus Oct. 31 party in Boulder’s University Hill neighborhood.

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After the arrest, detectives asked for the public's help in identifying three other people seen in video and photos from that night, including two males, one wearing an "Art the Clown" shirt and another in a red hoodie, and a female witness.

It’s unclear whether they will face charges.

"The investigation is ongoing. When and if there are additional arrests or charges, I will send out a news release," Waugh said.

Shannon Carbone, the public information officer (PIO) for the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, told Fox News Digital that prosecutors "successfully argued in court Tuesday to have Perez held without bond."

Perez's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2027, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The Colorado Public Defender’s Office declined to comment on the case. The university did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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The shooting

According to a Boulder police arrest affidavit, police first responded to a home off Marine Street around 9:58 p.m. on Halloween after receiving a noise complaint. Responding officers issued a nuisance-party citation, and hundreds of people left the gathering. Around 90 minutes later, at 11:28 p.m., officers returned after a call concerning gunshots fired.

Witnesses told authorities that Perez had been in the group of people that left, but he returned to the residence with six others. They were asked to leave, but Perez and his group allegedly became irate, leading to a scuffle in the living room and on the front porch. A witness said Perez appeared to be wearing a SWAT uniform and a "Purge" mask.

A resident at the home put Perez in a headlock, prompting Perez to allegedly pull out a gun and open fire, the affidavit stated.

One witness told police he heard Perez threaten, "Oh, I could shoot this place up."

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Perez shot Hanlon in the neck and another 19-year-old student in the leg. Hanlon died the following day at Boulder Community Health.

"I do not have any other updates on the second victim because of privacy. If that changes I will send out a news release," Waugh told Fox News Digital.

Sister identifies suspect

The arrest affidavit stated that Perez’s sister saw photos released by Boulder police and contacted them after recognizing her brother's clothes.

She then checked the family's "Life360" app, which tracked Perez arriving at the residence around the time of the shooting. The app also mapped his path following the shooting. Over the next several hours, Perez allegedly traveled through Westminster, Arvada, Keenesburg, and then back to Thornton.

"The defendant was arrested in Thornton. He is not a CU student and, contrary to some rumors, was not arrested on campus," Carbone told Fox News Digital.

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His sister told investigators that days before the shooting, Perez illegally purchased a 10mm Glock "on the street" and posted photos of the weapon on Instagram. She said he had replaced a revolver he "threw in some bushes" after accidentally shooting himself in the calf on Sept. 26.

The affidavit also noted that Perez and other people who accompanied him traveled in a newer red Audi sedan.

When Perez picked his sister up from work, she got into the Audi and noticed a "black purge looking mask" on the floorboard. She also told police three people were in the vehicle with Perez.

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Perez allegedly told his sister that they had been beaten up earlier at a party they attended, "by four guys and his friends," the affidavit stated.

In addition to murder with extreme indifference, Perez faces first-degree assault and attempted first-degree murder charges, both with extreme indifference.

"For first degree murder, the only sentence allowed under law is life in prison without the possibility of parole. Additional charges will likely be filed," Carbone said.

Luca Hanlon

CU Boulder identified Hanlon, of Pennsylvania, as a second-year media production student in its College of Communication, Media, Design and Information.

"It doesn't feel real. He was my best friend. He was always there. If I needed a shoulder to cry, he was there, to celebrate the biggest wins in life. He was just like an all-around, stand-up, great, just model citizen," Hanlon’s friend, Jack Anderson, told Denver’s ABC 7.

"I would say he was who I aspired to be in life. He was that person."

Anyone with any information about the case is urged to contact Boulder police at 303-441-3333, or submit tips online at the police department’s Evidence Submission Portal.

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