Wagswoofs – According to authorities, a man who was heavily armed chose to take his own life instead of following through with his apparent plan to carry out a shooting at a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado.
A maintenance crew discovered the body of 20-year-old Diego Barajas Medina in a women’s bathroom at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on Saturday morning, before the park opened to the public. According to Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire, Medina died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
According to authorities, Medina was allegedly armed with an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, and explosives, and was wearing body armor and tactical clothing, which resembled those worn by members of a police SWAT team. Reportedly, he had entered the park while it was closed.
Medina’s authorship of the message was uncertain, according to Vallario.
According to Vallario, there were no signs indicating that Medina was planning an attack, either at home or school. However, investigators have not yet conducted any thorough interviews. As part of the investigation, the FBI will assist in reviewing Medina’s phone records and social media posts.
According to Vallario, the individual in question had a significant amount of weapons and ordinance, indicating that he may have been planning to use them against the community. However, he ultimately chose not to do so. Vallario emphasized the level of preparation involved, suggesting that the potential threat was taken seriously.
According to police, Medina’s vehicle was discovered to contain several improvised explosive devices. While authorities scoured the remainder of the park for additional explosives, they concluded that none were present.
According to the coroner, they deemed the scene safe and removed Medina’s body on Sunday.
According to Vallario, the park would have been bustling with people during the fall weekend, especially during hunting season when visitors flock to the mountains to witness the beautiful autumn colors. As the park is situated in an isolated location, and visitors usually take a gondola to reach there, it would have been challenging to transport any injured individuals to the hospital if the need arose.
According to Vallario, Medina hailed from Carbondale, a neighboring town, and resided there with his mother and brother. In his high school yearbook, he expressed his intention to take a year off after completing his studies in 2021 before pursuing further education at Colorado Mountain College, a community college with several branches in western Colorado.
According to the sheriff, law enforcement officials searched the suspect’s room but found no evidence of explosives or bomb-making material. Additionally, the suspect had no previous criminal record or encounters with the police, providing no indication of any prior suspicious behavior.
Medina was found with ghost guns, which are untraceable as they lack serial numbers. Additionally, his clothing had patches and emblems that created an illusion of him being affiliated with law enforcement.
According to the sheriff, a number of the explosives that were suspected to be real turned out to be fake, including hand grenade replicas. However, there were also genuine explosives discovered. The sheriff stated that there was no indication that any explosive devices had been planted in other areas of the park.
It is believed by investigators that Medina drove towards the park using a service road.
Located on a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado, the park is surrounded by state-owned public land. Visitors to the park can enjoy a variety of attractions, such as cave tours, an alpine coaster, and a pendulum swing ride that sits on the edge of a cliff, offering breathtaking views of the river canyon as riders soar through the air.
According to a statement released by Glenwood Caverns on Monday, Medina entered the park when there were no employees or visitors present. It was reported that his body was discovered outside of the restricted areas where the rides are located.
Nancy Heard, the General Manager of Glenwood Caverns, expressed her sorrow and grief over the unfortunate incident and reiterated how much the Glenwood Springs community holds importance for them. “This very sad and tragic incident reminds us how much our Glenwood Springs community means to us,” she stated in the official statement.
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