Authorities reported that a heavily armed individual tragically took his own life instead of carrying out an apparent plan to attack a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado. The lifeless body of Diego Barajas Medina, aged 20, was discovered in a women’s bathroom at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, early Saturday morning, before it opened to the public. Barajas Medina, who had entered the park while it was closed, was found equipped with an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, explosives, and donned body armor and tactical attire resembling a police SWAT team member.
A message on the bathroom wall read: “I am not a killer, I just want to get into the caves.” Nearby, authorities located a handgun and explosive devices, some real and others imitation. The AR-style rifle, along with a duty belt containing multiple ammunition magazines, was situated on a nearby counter.
While the message’s authorship remained uncertain, there were no prior indicators, either at his residence or school, suggesting he had planned an attack. Investigators are yet to conduct detailed interviews. The FBI will assist in reviewing Barajas Medina’s phone records and social media activity as part of the inquiry.
Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario remarked that, given the extensive preparations and the significant arsenal at the scene, it appeared highly likely that he had intended to harm the community but opted against it. Multiple improvised explosive devices were found in Barajas Medina’s vehicle, though none were located elsewhere within the park.
The park typically sees high visitor numbers during the fall season and hunting period, complicating emergency responses in its isolated location, accessible via a gondola.
Diego Barajas Medina resided in the nearby town of Carbondale with his mother and brother. A search of his room yielded no evidence of explosives, and he had no known criminal history or prior police encounters.
The weapons found on Barajas Medina were “ghost guns,” lacking serial numbers, making them untraceable. Some of the suspected explosive devices turned out to be fake, while others were real. However, no evidence indicated that explosive devices were concealed elsewhere in the park.
Investigators believe that Barajas Medina reached the park via a service road. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, situated on a mountain above the Colorado River, offers attractions such as cave tours, an alpine coaster, and a pendulum swing ride perched on a cliff’s edge. No employees or visitors were present when the incident occurred.
Nancy Heard, general manager of Glenwood Caverns, expressed the community’s deep sorrow over the tragic incident and emphasized its significance to the Glenwood Springs community.
