The shooter was Wade Michael Page (November 1, 1971 – August 5, 2012) of Cudahy, Wisconsin, and a Colorado native. He was a member of the U.S. Army from 1992 through 1998; sources indicated that Page was demoted and received a general discharge for "patterns of misconduct", including being drunk while on duty.
Page had ties to white supremacy and neo-Nazi groups, reportedly being a member of the Hammerskins. He entered the white power music scene in 2000, becoming involved in several neo-Nazi rock bands. He founded a band called End Apathy in 2005, which has been called a "racist white-power band", and was promoted to appear at white supremacist gatherings.