Victim in stable condition at a local hospital

Boulder County, Colo. - On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, officers arrested 27-year-old Michael Chunn in Denver following a string of incidents that occurred in Boulder County spanning from the late evening hours of January 24 into the morning hours of January 25. Chunn, a resident of Gunbarrel, located in unincorporated Boulder County, Colorado, was transported back to Boulder and booked into the Boulder County Jail on the following charges: attempted murder in the 1st degree, a class 2 felony; assault in the 1st degree, a class 3 felony; motor vehicle theft in the 1st degree, a class 4 felony; and attempted assault in the 3rd degree, a class 2 misdemeanor.

Initially, deputies with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) had attempted to check Chunn’s welfare in the late evening hours of Tuesday, January 24 after having received several calls from the public expressing concern for his wellbeing as he had been seen walking in and out of traffic. Deputies with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office were able to make contact with him just after 9:00 p.m. He conversed briefly with the deputies and declined their offers of assistance. At the time, he was not believed to be a threat to himself or others, so he was not detained and was allowed to walk away. Later, at around 3:45 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25, a deputy tried to check on him again after a community member reported that he was again walking in traffic. That deputy attempted to talk to Chunn but he again declined assistance, so the deputy left him alone.

Between approximately 6:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25, deputies received several calls for incidents in the Gunbarrel area that deputies and detectives were eventually able to tie together as related. Detectives learned that the same male from the earlier welfare checks had stolen a car that had been left running unattended in the area. While driving the stolen vehicle, he stopped, got out of the car, and approached a male walking his dog in the area of White Rock Circle and Indigo Court and stabbed the male in the chest unprovoked. The suspect immediately fled the area in the stolen vehicle, and the stabbing victim went to a local hospital for treatment. The male had also attempted to assault another male who was out walking his dog, but that male was able to fend him off. At some point in the morning, Chunn had also thrown himself in front of a car driving through Gunbarrel, causing minimal damage to the car, before fleeing on foot. The driver of that vehicle immediately stopped and stayed on scene to speak to officers. At this time, it does not appear that the suspect and victims knew each other.

The victim of the stabbing is an adult male resident of the Gunbarrel area. He was admitted to a local hospital for monitoring; his injuries are not considered life-threatening. The stolen vehicle was recovered in Denver and was returned to the owner after being processed for evidence by detectives with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. Based on damage observed to the auto theft victim's vehicle, it is believed that Chunn may have been involved in a hit-and-run crash with another vehicle or person. Investigators with the BCSO shared this information with local jurisdictions in case they had any crashes that may have been related.

The following agencies assisted in this investigation: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder Police Department, Denver Police Department, and Boulder District Attorney’s Office. At this time, the investigation is ongoing and the arrestee’s photo cannot be released. The associated BCSO case number for this incident is 23-00433. If anyone was a witness to any of these events, they are asked to contact Detective Garrett Eastman with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office at geastman@bouldercounty.org, or call our tip line at 303-441-3674

As in every criminal case, these charges are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

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/s/Detective Sergeant Clay Leak