International Courant
A closely armed man killed himself reasonably than perform an obvious plan to shoot up a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado, his physique found in a toilet subsequent to phrases scrawled on the wall, “I’m not a killer,” authorities mentioned Monday.
Diego Barajas Medina, 20, was discovered lifeless in a ladies’s lavatory at Glenwood Caverns Journey Park by a upkeep crew on Saturday morning, earlier than the park opened to the general public. He died of a self-inflected gunshot wound to the pinnacle, Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire mentioned.
Medina apparently entered the park whereas it was closed, armed with an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun and explosives and was sporting physique armor and tactical clothes, just like what a police SWAT crew member would possibly put on, authorities mentioned.
HEAVILY ARMED MAN WITH GUNS, AMMO AND EXPLOSIVES FOUND DEAD INSIDE POPULAR COLORADO AMUSEMENT PARK
This photograph reveals The Haunted Mine Drop at Glenwood Caverns Journey Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. ((Chelsea Self/Glenwood Springs Put up Impartial through AP, File))
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A message saying, “I’m not a killer, I simply wished to get into the caves,” was written on a wall of the toilet the place Medina’s physique was discovered mendacity on the ground, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario mentioned. Close by was a handgun and explosive gadgets, some actual and a few pretend, he mentioned. The AR-style rifle was on a counter close by together with an obligation belt holding a number of ammunition magazines.
Vallario couldn’t say for sure that Medina wrote the message.
There have been no prior indications, both at residence or college, suggesting he was planning an assault, Vallario mentioned. However the sheriff famous that investigators haven’t performed any in-depth interviews but. The FBI will assist evaluate Medina’s telephone information and social media postings as a part of the investigation, he mentioned.
“Given the preparation, given the quantity of weapons and ordinance he had it virtually appeared very extremely seemingly he meant to make use of these in opposition to the neighborhood. He selected to not,” Vallario mentioned.
A number of improvised explosive gadgets had been discovered within the car utilized by Medina, police mentioned. Authorities searched the remainder of the park for different explosives however prompt no others had been discovered.
Medina’s physique was eliminated Sunday after the scene was deemed secure, in accordance with the coroner.
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The park seemingly would have been crowded on a fall weekend throughout looking season when folks go to the mountains to see the altering autumn colours, Vallario mentioned. Given the park’s remoted location, which guests take a gondola to usually, it will have been troublesome to get any wounded to the hospital, he mentioned.
Medina was from the close by city of Carbondale, the place he lived along with his mom and brother, Vallario mentioned. In a listing of highschool graduates revealed in an area newspaper in 2021, Medina mentioned he deliberate to work for a yr after commencement earlier than attending Colorado Mountain School, a neighborhood faculty with a number of areas in western Colorado.
A search of his room by legislation enforcement discovered nothing to point explosives or bomb-making, and he had no recognized legal historical past or prior encounters with police, the sheriff mentioned.
The weapons discovered on Medina had been ghost weapons, which don’t have serial numbers and subsequently can’t be traced. His clothes had patches and symbols that gave the looks of Medina being related to legislation enforcement.
A number of the suspected explosives turned out to be fakes — together with a number of that seemed like hand grenades — however others had been actual, the sheriff mentioned. Nevertheless, there was no proof to counsel that explosive gadgets had been positioned elsewhere contained in the park, he mentioned.
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Investigators imagine Medina drove as much as the park on a service highway.
The park, which is surrounded by state-owned public land, is on a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado. Its sights embody cave excursions, an alpine coaster and a pendulum swing experience perched on the sting of a cliff that sends riders over the river canyon.
No workers or guests had been on scene when Medina entered the park, in accordance with a press release issued Monday by Glenwood Caverns, and his physique was discovered outdoors of restricted areas the place rides are situated.
“This very unhappy and tragic incident reminds us how a lot our Glenwood Springs neighborhood means to us,” Glenwood Caverns Common Supervisor Nancy Heard mentioned within the assertion.
Loss of life of closely armed man inside common Colorado amusement park dominated a suicide
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