In a concerning incident at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Colorado, a heavily armed individual was discovered deceased in a restroom. Authorities reported on Monday that Diego Barajas Medina, aged 20, took his own life rather than executing a probable plan to attack the mountaintop amusement park. Medina’s body was discovered by a maintenance crew on Saturday morning before the park welcomed visitors.
Medina was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire. Remarkably, he had entered the park with an arsenal of weapons, including an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, explosives, and was dressed in tactical attire akin to a SWAT team member. Adjacent to his body, a poignant message was found written on the restroom wall, stating, “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves.” Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario, however, could not confirm that Medina was the author of the message.
There had been no prior indications of Medina’s intentions, neither at his home nor school. However, the nature of his preparation and the array of weapons discovered on him suggest that he may have had ill intentions for the community. Despite the presence of multiple improvised explosive devices in his vehicle, no additional explosives were found in the park.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, known for its stunning autumn colors, would typically be bustling with visitors during the hunting season. The park’s secluded location, accessible by gondola, would have made medical evacuations challenging in case of any violent event.
Medina, a resident of the nearby town of Carbondale, had expressed intentions to attend Colorado Mountain College after a year off post-high school graduation. Interestingly, a search of his residence revealed no signs of explosive materials, and he had no previous criminal records.
The weapons in Medina’s possession were untraceable ghost guns, lacking serial numbers. Some of the explosives with him were found to be decoys, but others were genuine. However, Sheriff Vallario confirmed that there was no evidence suggesting the placement of explosive devices elsewhere in the park.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, perched above the Colorado River, is renowned for its cave tours and thrilling rides. Thankfully, no staff or visitors were present when Medina entered the park. Glenwood Caverns’ General Manager, Nancy Heard, expressed her sorrow over the incident, emphasizing the importance of the Glenwood Springs community.
While the situation ended tragically for Medina, the potential for a larger disaster was thankfully averted. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the unpredictability of human actions and the importance of community vigilance.
