Update: This story was updated on May 1 with a statement from TGTHR.
Boulder police arrested a man Wednesday afternoon after a standoff at 1440 Pine Street, where the nonprofit TGTHR is currently operating its youth drop-in center. The incident prompted a brief SECURE alert at nearby Whittier Elementary School near dismissal time.
The standoff began around noon. Officers closed 14th and 15 streets between Spruce and Pine while SWAT attempted to contact the man, who was believed to be armed and had active warrants for weapon possession and trespassing. He also had a criminal history involving robbery and drugs, according to a police spokesperson. Police ultimately fired tear gas through a window facing 15th Street to take him into custody without injury.
No one else was reported injured. Roads in the area have since reopened.
The location is one of TGTHR’s affordable housing sites and is not currently being used as a shelter. The nonprofit’s youth shelter and residential treatment program were temporarily closed last week following an issue over its state licensing audit.
The person who was arrested was not a resident of TGTHR, according to the organization.
“All evacuated tenants have been given the green light to return to their units,” the organization said in a statement. “TGTHR therapeutic staff will remain on site and available for all young people to process this situation as it understandably brings up distress to some of our young tenants.”
My husband was harassed that morning of this incident. Because they thought he was the suspect. He wasn’t even in a car close to what that man was driving. Also was just waiting for his job site to open. He doesn’t even look anything like him. Made him feel unsafe to even stay that day.