Nov. 12--Boulder police this evening arrested a 17-year-old who wore a clown hat and "Joker" mask inside one of the movie theaters at Twenty Ninth Street -- a prank that scared moviegoers so badly that some of them ran out of the cineplex.
The teenage suspect, who was arrested on suspicion of menacing, told police that he was aware of the theater shooting in Aurora this summer.
During that July 20 shooting spree, suspected gunman James Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and injuring another 58 at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." According to media reports, Holmes had colored his hair orange and claimed to be dressed as the Joker from the Batman comics and movies.
Police are not releasing the teenager's name because he is a minor, but said that he is a part-time student at the University of Colorado.
The suspect told police that he wore the mask to Century Boulder Theater, 1710 29th St., to scare his friends and said he wanted to dress as the "Joker" next year for Halloween. He was carrying the mask and hat in a shopping bag when police approached him, according to the police department.
While there were no weapons or threats and nobody was injured, five people who reported the incident told police they felt imminent fear for their personal safety and ran out of the theater, according to investigators.
The 17-year-old faces five counts of misdemeanor menacing.
The suspect was taken to juvenile detention.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Brittany Anas at 303-473-1132 or [email protected]
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