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What caused the mystery boom near Lochbuie?

Posted at 1:16 PM, Nov 21, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-22 02:59:40-05

LOCHBUIE, Colo. – Authorities are still trying to learn the source of a loud boom that shook Lochbuie and parts of Brighton Monday night.

Residents first reported hearing the boom around 9 p.m. Some even took to Facebook to report their house and windows shook during the incident. Several residents who called Denver7 described the noise as an explosion.

"I was at a friend's house drinking beer," said Ray Armijo. "It was just like boom and the trailer shook, and I thought, 'what the heck was that?'"

Armijo told Denver7 that while serving in the military, he'd heard grenades, heavy artillery and light artillery.  He said the noise Monday night didn't seem to come from the ground but rather from the air.

"It kind of scared me a bit," he said.

Aleja Moronez was at home when she heard the mysterious noise and felt the house shake.

"Some stuff in my room visibly moved," she said. "Some posters fell off the wall."

Lochbuie Police Chief Tracey McCoy there "were no reports of property damage or injuries."

He said he contacted both the Federal Aviation Administration and Buckley Air Force Base, and was told they had no operations in the area at the time.

The Brighton Fire Department said they too received several calls about the mysterious boom, but could not locate the source. Brighton Police had similar results after checking a neighborhood near Weld County Road 2 Monday night.

"We felt the house shake," said Shane Fuselier, "and I went outside thinking someone had  hit the house."

Fuselier said the only thing he could compare it to were the sonic booms he heard growing up in Louisiana.

He said there are some oil and gas operations nearby, but didn't know if the noise was related to one of those operations, and couldn't tell with any certainty which direction it came from.

Many residents are speculating about the mystery on the Lochbuie Police Department's Facebook page.

"There are active meteor showers," Tim Hicks wrote. "...It's very possible that a larger meteor entered the atmosphere and caused a sonic boom in the vicinity of Lochbuie."

"Deep earthquake?" asked Tiffany Perito.  "Alien invasion?"

"I thought the North Koreans were bombing us," joked Tim Nickerson.

Danae Rossorelli didn't see the humor in the speculation.

"It's kind of scary if they can't figure it out," she said, "It was a loud boom."

Authorities are still investigating the incident.