On the heels of the mass shooting in Maine, it seems a small community outside Denver might have missed a massacre in their own backyard.
From Colorado Public Radio:
The Garfield County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a heavily armed man found dead Saturday morning at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs.
For reference, Garfield County is located several dozen miles west of Denver, and the Glenwood Adventure Park offers cave tours, rollercoaster rides, and other Western-themed thrills.
Officers found the dead man prior to the opening of the park, they said; law enforcement suspected he entered the park after hours following the departure of staff.
Officials said the man was "heavily armed," but that descriptor does not even begin to capture it. A statement from the sheriff's office describes the guy as if he were armed to fight a one-man war:
According to the sheriff's department, he was "dressed in black colored tactical clothing, bearing patches and emblems that gave the appearance of being associated with law enforcement."
He was "heavily armed with a semi-automatic rifle and semi-automatic handgun and multiple, loaded magazines for both weapons."
- Both weapons were reportedly "ghost guns," or weapons without serial numbers, although the term usually refers to 3D-printed weapons these days.
- He was also wearing "body armor and what appeared to be a ballistic helmet" and was in possession of "improvised explosives."
What was this guy planning??
(Per our policy in breaking stories about mass shooters - even would-be mass shooters - we won't be releasing the suspect's name in this article, but he was Hispanic, 20 years old, and from the Carbondale area.)
The sheriff's department candidly admitted that "given the amount of weaponry, ammunition and explosive devices found, the suspect could have implemented an attack of devastating proportions upon our community and first responders." No joke.
Adding to the horrifying scene was a note that police reportedly found next to the body. From The Denver Post:
Investigators also found the phrase "I am not a killer. I just wanted to get into the caves" written on the bathroom wall where Medina was found, Vallario said.
Police also swept the park for further explosives but didn't find any, they said.
The investigation "is still ongoing and very active." We'll keep you posted with updates.
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