BOULDER

City Council meeting closed to public due to safety concerns

The Boulder City Council Meeting on Thursday will be closed to the public amid safety concerns and limited police availability stemming from the antisemitic attack on the Pearl Street Mall earlier this week.

Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde made the announcement to the City Council’s public email hotline on Wednesday. She said the decision, which is allowed under section 2-1-2 of the Boulder Municipal Code, stems from police being stretched thin as security measures are ramped up in the wake of Sunday’s attack.

The open comment section will take place virtually. However, the form to sign up for open comment was closed as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.

“I want to support the department’s request to minimize, where we can, any additional demands for services so that they may focus on events that we do not have control over, and given current tensions in community, not having sufficient resources at our council meetings could pose an unnecessary safety risk for community members, council members and staff alike,” Rivera-Vandermyde wrote.

Police respond to report of armed suicidal person at NCAR

The Boulder Police Department detained a male after a report of an armed suicidal person in the area of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Boulder police posted on the social media platform X at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday that it was “attempting to contact an individual at NCAR” and that the road leading to the facility was closed.

The subject was in custody as of about 3:15 p.m. and there was no risk to the public, Boulder Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jamie Barker said. The road opened back up as well.

“Negotiators were able to successfully work with the individual to bring him safely into custody. The individual will be provided with the appropriate medical resources and support,” Barker wrote in an email.

LAFAYETTE

No threat after report of suspicious male near Lafayette Elementary School

A suspicious man was reported near an elementary school in Lafayette on Wednesday, but police and the Boulder Valley School District said there was no threat to the public.

The Lafayette Police Department received a call around noon Wednesday reporting a suspicious male shooting water at passing cars with a red and blue squirt gun near Lafayette Elementary School, according to the department. Police placed the school, where a day camp was happening, in “secure” status briefly, according to a spokesperson for the school district.

But there was no danger present, police said around 1:30 p.m.

Police responded to the school and found no sighting of the male or the squirt gun, the department said. The school was aware of the situation and was under no threat, according to the school district. Police said there is no danger to the school or community. — Staff reports