A heavily armed man who was allegedly planning an attack on a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado took his own life instead, according to law enforcement officials.
According to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, the man’s body was discovered at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on the morning of Oct. 28. The man was later identified by the Garfield County Coroner’s Office as 20-year-old Carbondale resident Diego Barajas Medina.
His body was discovered prior to the park’s opening in a women’s bathroom, and deputies said his death was not related to any of the rides at the park.
Based upon a preliminary investigation, it appears that the suspect illegally entered the park after hours when no employees or patrons were present, officials said.
Mr. Medina was dressed in “black-colored tactical clothing, bearing patches and emblems that gave the appearance of being associated with law enforcement,” when he was found, police said. He was also “heavily armed with a semi-automatic rifle and semi-automatic handgun and multiple, loaded magazines for both weapons,” according to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.
He was also wearing body armor and what appeared to be a ballistic helmet, according to officials. He had multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and additional IEDs were found in his vehicle following a police search.
Suspect Had ‘Ghost Guns’
Law enforcement officials subsequently swept the park to ensure no other IEDs had been planted on rides or in other areas and conducted controlled detonations. An investigation has not found any risk to the public.Speaking during a press conference on Oct. 30, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario said the firearms found on Mr. Medina appeared to be “ghost guns,” meaning they do not have serial numbers and therefore cannot be traced, and were likely not purchased over the counter.
There was also a note left on a wall near Mr. Medina’s body that read “I am not a killer, I just want to get into the caves,” but the sheriff said police can’t be certain the note was written by Mr. Medina.
Despite Mr. Medina having no prior criminal history, police believe he likely “intended to create significantly more destruction than he actually caused.”
“When I first saw this, it was definitely a realization that this type of danger has come to quiet Glenwood Springs, Colorado, rural Colorado, rural America,” Mr. Vallario said. “Fortunately, for whatever reason, we may never know, although he was very highly prepared, very highly weaponized, he chose not to take advantage of any of that.”
Plan Would Have Had ‘Devastating Impact’
“Whatever his preparation was, he chose instead, as we believe at this point, to commit suicide. We are, to say the least, extremely lucky that he did not fulfill whatever plan he may have intended. It would certainly have caused a devastating impact on this community. ... Potential for many, many people to be killed and injured,” the sheriff continued.Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is located on a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado, according to its official website. The park is home to a number of attractions including Colorado’s longest Alpine rollercoaster, a 4D theater, and various caves.
“We appreciate the swift action and thorough work of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department and Coroner’s Office, as well as the Garfield County All Hazard Response Team and other authorities assisting in the investigation, working together to ensure the park is safe to reopen,” Ms. Heard added.
Police later discovered a suicide note at a home linked to Mr. Card that was addressed to his son, however, the note did not reveal a specific motive for the shooting, according to law enforcement officials.
