BOULDER, Colo. — A college student was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor menacing after wearing a clown hat and a mask depicting the Joker from the Batman series in a Boulder theater, authorities said Monday.
The unidentified 17-year-old told police he was aware of the July 20 shooting at a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” at an Aurora theater where 12 people were killed and 58 wounded.
Former University of Colorado, Denver neuroscience graduate student James Holmes, 24, faces 152 charges in the attack at the Century Aurora 16 theater.
When Holmes first appeared in court, his hair was dyed a shocking comic-book shade of orange-red. There were unconfirmed reports that he told arresting officers that he was the Joker.
On Sunday, a group of moviegoers at the Century Boulder Theater told authorities they feared for their safety and left the building after the student at the University of Colorado donned the hat and Joker mask.
Police said the teen didn’t have a weapon and didn’t make threats. He was not identified because of his age. The mask was found in a shopping bag when the student was arrested, police said.
A spokesman for Cinemark USA Inc. did not return a call seeking comment.
The suspect was taken to a juvenile detention facility.