A heavily armed individual apparently had a change of heart regarding a planned mass shooting at a Colorado amusement park over the weekend and instead took his own life, according to authorities.
The deceased individual, identified as Diego Barajas Medina, aged 20, was discovered in the women’s restroom at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on Saturday morning, before the park’s regular operating hours, as reported by The Associated Press.
Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire confirmed that Medina died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was found near a message on the restroom wall reading, “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves.”
While officials could not definitively attribute the message to Medina, they did confirm that he was heavily armed.
A statement from the sheriff’s office disclosed that Medina was dressed in tactical attire resembling law enforcement, carrying a semi-automatic rifle and handgun, along with loaded magazines for both weapons.
“He was dressed in black colored tactical clothing, bearing patches and emblems that gave the appearance of being associated with law enforcement. The suspect had been heavily armed with a semi-automatic rifle and semi-automatic handgun and multiple, loaded magazines for both weapons. He was wearing body armor and what appeared to be a ballistic helmet. Additionally, multiple improvised explosive devices (IED) were discovered with the suspect and in the vehicle associated with the suspect.” the office said.
Notably, the weapons found were identified as “ghost guns,” lacking serial numbers, making them untraceable.
The Washington Post reported that the use of ghost guns in violent crimes has been on the rise, referencing an earlier article from July.
Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario mentioned that preliminary interviews did not reveal any prior indications of Medina planning an attack. The investigation is ongoing, and more in-depth interviews are pending.
“Given the preparation, given the amount of weapons and ordnance he had, it almost seemed very highly likely he intended to use those against the community,” Vallario said in the statement. “He chose not to.”
The announcement noted that the Grand Junction Bomb Squad successfully disarmed the explosive devices.
The sheriff’s office emphasized the potential for a devastating attack on the community and first responders, given the substantial weaponry, ammunition, and explosive devices discovered.
Medina was reported to have resided with his mother and brother in the nearby town of Carbondale, Colorado.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, situated on a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado, offers various attractions, including cave tours, an alpine coaster, and a pendulum swing ride over a river canyon.
