A machete-wielding suspect was shot to death Wednesday by police in the Champions Center at the University of Colorado's Folsom Field.
The Boulder Daily Camera reports that the man was shot after he refused to drop his weapon. Campus police say they do not know the man's motive for entering the athletics center with a weapon.
Sources say the man appeared to be a "religious zealot of some kind" who had been overheard talking about "looking for sinners" and referencing the commandments.
Emergency responders were notified around 9:15 a.m. that a man with a machete had entered the Champions Center, the newly expanded athletics and sports-medicine facility on the university's Boulder campus.
"He was directed to put the weapon down and refused, and it was at that time, for public safety, that we believe the shots were fired," says university police spokesman Scott Pribble.
The Champions Center, which was part of a recent $166 million update to university athletic facilities, is home to the Athletic Department's administrative offices. It also houses the Sports Medicine and Performance Center.
The university issued a statement from Athletic Director Rick George: "Regarding the incident this morning in our Champions Center, first and foremost, all our student athletes and staff are safe. We have safety protocols in place. When everyone received the campus alert, all responded accordingly and the protocols were effective.
"I want to recognize the Boulder and CU police departments for their prompt and swift response to this incident and neutralizing the suspect. Their quick actions allowed for the situation to end without further incident."
