CARBONDALE, Colo. — The person whose physique was discovered at a Colorado amusement park with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun at his facet was described Tuesday by his older brother as a recluse who stayed up each night time enjoying video video games.
Diego Barajas Medina, 20, recognized by the Garfield County coroner’s workplace as the person whose physique was discovered within the ladies’s restroom earlier than the opening of Glenwood Caverns Journey Park on Saturday, “was a quiet particular person,” mentioned his brother, David Barajas Medina, 27. . Unique interview. “He will not speak to any of us.”
The brothers lived with their mom in a two-bedroom residence in Carbondale, about 14 miles south of the amusement park. David and Diego shared a room.
“He at all times wished to be a police officer, so he had weapons,” David mentioned. “He had a jacket.”
David mentioned that beneath Diego’s mattress was a field that will have saved firearms discovered by authorities, weapons that the native sheriff mentioned have been seemingly unlawful, and unregistered, untraceable ghost weapons that may be made at dwelling utilizing kits and 3D printers. David mentioned he was confused by what his brother had in thoughts.
“I do not suppose he was a harmful particular person,” he added.
The person had no connection to the park
Authorities have been attempting to judge why Diego went to the park earlier than enterprise hours carrying a rifle, described as wanting like an AR-15; A gun believed to have been used to finish his life; And explosives. Authorities mentioned he was sporting darkish clothes within the fashion of a tactical police officer.
“He was very ready and extremely armed, however ultimately he selected to kill himself,” Garfield County Sheriff Lou Valario mentioned Monday at a information convention.
For a nation nonetheless recovering from final week’s mass taking pictures in Lewiston, Maine, the place 18 individuals have been killed by a person mentioned to have carried an identical semi-automatic rifle, information of Diego’s dying at a spot designated for households and kids was troubling. Colorado has an extended historical past of mass shootings courting again to 1999 at Columbine Excessive Faculty.
The amusement park, situated at an elevation of seven,100 toes, has a capability of 1,551 individuals, in keeping with Garfield County paperwork. It’s situated in Glenwood Springs, a metropolis of about 10,000 situated within the Rocky Mountains 120 miles west of Denver. Along with thrill rides, the amusement park affords excursions of the caves beneath Iron Mountain.
Glenwood Caverns Journey Park mentioned in a press release that the place is surrounded by state land and that the person had been trespassing.
“He was capable of drive his automobile onto a again street that the park makes use of for upkeep site visitors solely,” sheriff’s spokesman Walt Stowe mentioned Tuesday.
He described it as a mud street with “little or no upkeep.”
It was not clear Tuesday how Diego knew in regards to the street. David mentioned his brother had no connection to the park.
“I am undecided what he was as much as.”
Investigators additionally discovered faux hand grenades close to Diego’s physique, Valario mentioned Monday.
Authorities mentioned Diego was sporting a ballistic vest and a ballistic helmet and was in possession of a number of magazines of ammunition. The patches and logos on his darkish clothes “look like related to regulation enforcement,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned in a press release Monday.
“Regardless of the intention was, he didn’t carry it out,” Valario mentioned.
David mentioned he believed Diego meant no hurt. He mentioned that Diego left a telephone of their shared room, and it appeared clear to him that Diego wished somebody to seek out it. David is not certain what was on the locked telephone. His brother mentioned that investigators took the telephone like a field.
David mentioned Diego misplaced his final job at Household Greenback a few yr in the past and has been flipping objects on Amazon to make ends meet, regardless that he hasn’t saved up with the lease.
David mentioned he could have been depressed, however Saturday’s discovery was surprising.
“I am undecided what he meant to do,” he mentioned.
He described Diego as an evening gamer: “He would go to mattress day-after-day at 6 a.m. and he would play Name of Responsibility each night time.”
Nevertheless, David mentioned, “He appeared regular.” He described his dying as “unusual to me.”
The Sheriff’s Workplace will conduct a “methodical and detailed” investigation to uncover the person’s background and doable motive, Stowe mentioned, noting that the matter could take time and even then find yourself speculative.
On Monday, Valario described Diego as “utterly beneath the radar,” including, “There was no indication of any warning or concern.”
He imagined what may have occurred, saying Diego “may have carried out an incredible quantity of injury on the journey park.”
“It may have been devastating,” he mentioned.
Investigators discovered writing on the lavatory wall close to the physique. Its which means, and even whether or not it was carried out by Diego, remained unclear on Tuesday.
The writing mentioned: “I am not a assassin, I simply wished to get into the caves,” Valario mentioned.
Dionne J. Hampton reported from Carbondale, Minnevon Burke from Pittsburgh and Dennis Romero from San Diego.
In case you or somebody you recognize is in disaster, name 988 to entry the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline. It’s also possible to name the community, previously often called the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255textual content HOME to 741741 or go to TalkingOfSuicide.com/resources For added assets.
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