Diego Barajas Medina: Tragic Incident at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office found 20-year-old Diego Barajas Medina’s lifeless body in Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park before its Saturday morning opening. The circumstances of his death are unknown to authorities and the community. Medina’s inventory was troubling, but his motives are unknown.
Medina had a protective vest, AR-type rifle, semi-automatic handgun, ammunition, and magazines. He also carried explosives and wore black military clothes with police emblems. Medina had discreetly gathered weaponry and explosives without any apparent violent intent, according to police investigations.
Authorities and the local community are baffled by Medina’s actions and the events that led to his untimely death. Medina’s brother explained that Diego was secluded but not dangerous. Despite this reassurance, the community concerns the Colorado theme park tragedy.
Brother says armed man found dead at Colorado theme park was reclusive but ‘not dangerous’
Diego Barajas Medina, aged 20, committed suicide at a Colorado amusement park with a stash of guns. His older brother, David, characterized him as a solitary gamer who enjoyed “Call of Duty” but was not “dangerous.” NBC News said that David believed his brother didn’t intend to harm.
Diego was found dead in Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s women’s lavatory with a sign reading, “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves.” Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire said Diego shot himself in the head to commit himself.
David stated his brother Diego stayed alone in their Carbondale, Colorado, apartment and played video games nightly. David claimed Diego was never dangerous despite his stillness. Financial concerns, including losing his Family Dollar job a year earlier, may have prompted Diego’s unhappiness. Diego’s financial troubles forced him to sell on Amazon.
Besides playing “Call of Duty,” Diego went to bed around 6 a.m. Diego felt normal to David despite his unconventional lifestyle. Diego wanted to become a police officer, as shown by his firearms and tactical vest.
The amusement park incident saw Diego equipped with an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, real and fake explosives, body armor, and SWAT gear. Despite the massive planning and equipment, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario stated there were no evidence of an attack. Vallario acknowledged the arsenal’s communal threat but lack of purpose.
Diego was arrested with “ghost guns,” police insignia, and badges. Diego’s car has non-functional replica IEDs. Diego had no criminal past or police confrontations, and his brother’s room was bomb-free.
The FBI will investigate Diego Barajas Medina’s phone and social media messages to establish the amusement park tragedy’s cause.
Suspect’s death cause and manner pending autopsy
According to the announcement, the Garfield County coroner’s autopsy will determine Diego Barajas Medina’s death cause and manner. USA TODAY has contacted the coroner’s office for more information.
Prior to entering the park, Medina drove. Investigators are checking the park’s rides, equipment, and structures and facilities for tampering. Overall park infrastructure safety and integrity are the goals of this detailed study. Authorities are thoroughly investigating this situation to determine and mitigate any dangers.
One man “under the radar” collected guns and explosives.
Initial interviews with Diego Barajas Medina’s relatives and acquaintances have not revealed a violent plan, according to the sheriff. Medina lived with his mother and brother in Carbondale, a half-hour drive from Glenwood Springs, without a criminal record or speeding tickets.
The sheriff said, “After interviewing his relatives and inspecting his chamber, we find no explanation. The point is lost. He was totally discreet.” To understand the individual’s motivations, more interviews with classmates and professors are planned.
Despite not speaking in two years, an anonymous high school buddy described Barajas Medina as calm, kind, and mentally well. The acquaintance said, “He was more isolating himself.”
According to his yearbook, Barajas Medina, known as “Barajas,” wanted to attend Colorado Mountain College after a gap year. He did not enroll after high school, and the Roaring Fork School District certified his 2021 graduation.
More research indicated that Barajas Medina attended Colorado Mountain College from August 2019 to May 2020. He did not attend college after graduating from Roaring Fork High School, which provided college-level courses.
The investigation centers on Barajas Medina’s “ghost guns,” an AR-style rifle and a semi-automatic handgun. As police investigate this tragedy, these untraceable handcrafted weapons, typically constructed from kits or 3D printed, are under scrutiny.
Body found in women’s restroom
With lifts down, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Colorado’s high hills near Glenwood Springs is closed for the season. The man drove up a service road, parked his car, and entered the park, which is usually reached by gondola.
A maintenance team uncovered the body in a women’s restroom. The disturbing “I am not a killer” was written on a stall wall. No note or letter was found near the body.
The individual looked like a SWAT or military person in black and a ballistic vest. Sheriff Vallario expressed sadness that Glenwood Springs was threatened. He stressed that the person, although being well-armed and prepared, committed suicide for reasons that may never be understood. Community and authorities are still investigating the man’s intentions and conduct.
Bombs exploded during amusement park inspection.
Glenwood Springs residents were ignorant of a potentially dangerous scenario for two days. The sheriff’s office tweeted “Heavy police activity at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park” and advised people to stay away, although the full scope of the danger was not immediately known.
Residents worried about a mountain explosion. In an honest Q&A with reporters, Sheriff Vallario said the Grand Junction Bomb Squad detonated one of the bombs found in the man’s car or near his body.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park received pipe bombs, fake IEDs, a real IED package, and imitation grenades. The sheriff stressed the investigation’s meticulousness and caution, citing the threats’ unreliability and the necessity to protect park visitors.
The man was not a park employee and had no apparent ties to it. Mid-November marks the winter opening of the entertainment park, which offers rides and cave tours.
General Manager Nancy Heard thanked the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department, Coroner’s Office, All Hazard Response Team, and other authorities for quickly and thoroughly securing the park before its scheduled reopening.
911 call indicates man accused of attacking Glenwood Springs amusement park found dead near ride.
Where Diego Barajas Medina’s body was recovered, the bathroom wall said, “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves.”
According to a 911 call released Wednesday, a heavily armed man suspected of planning a “heinous” attack at a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the bathroom of a building that houses a 110-foot-deep cavern ride.
Saturday am call: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park maintenance worker calmly tells dispatcher that body was surrounded by weapons and drink in women’s bathroom at Crystal Tower ride.
Authorities have not disclosed what the 20-year-old guy planned when he entered the park via a private service road before it opened over the weekend. Authorities say Medina has no criminal record.
However, Vallario claimed that Medina’s AR-style rifle, handgun, and various actual and fake explosive devices found on him and in his car made it “very highly likely” that he meant to use them against community people. Medina wore body armor and military equipment like a SWAT team member, investigators claimed.
“He was well intended to do something very heinous,” the sheriff said.
Park officials say Medina never worked at Glenwood Caverns. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Walt Stowe said authorities were investigating his other amusement park affiliations.
Carbondale police said they had not called to Medina’s public records-listed flat. The college said he took coursework at Colorado Mountain College in high school and planned to enroll but never did.
The Medina family has not responded to requests for comment.
On a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado, state-owned public land surrounds the amusement park. Cave excursions, a roller coaster, and a pendulum swing ride across the river canyon from a cliff are available. The Crystal Tower website describes it as a “underground drop ride” into Iron Mountain to see a “crystal grotto.”
Glenwood Caverns has substantial fencing, gates, security cameras, and alarms to protect rides, ride-restricted sections, and important buildings, park representatives said Monday. The park stated that “the incident on October 28 did not take place in any of these areas and was not related to any rides or attractions.”
Responding to 911 call inquiries Wednesday night, the park repeated that statement. The Associated Press received a call recording under a public records request.
FAQs about diego barajas medina
Q: Diego Barajas Medina—who?
A: Diego Barajas Medina, 20, died in Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Colorado. His body contained a pistol and explosives arsenal.
Q: How was Diego Barajas Medina found?
A: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park personnel found Diego Barajas Medina dead in a women’s restroom. He was found with a self-inflicted head gunshot wound before the park opened.
Q: Diego Barajas Medina had what weapons and explosives?
A: Diego Barajas Medina possessed an AR-type rifle, semi-automatic handgun, protective vest, ammunition, magazines, and actual and fake explosives. Guns lacking serial numbers were ghost guns.
Q: What did Diego Barajas Medina say?
A: The women’s restroom wall where Diego’s body was found contained a note. Says “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves.”
Q: Did Diego Barajas Medina plan to attack?
A: Authorities suspect Diego Barajas Medina planned a severe attack because he was well-prepared and armed. However, his goals are unknown.
Q: Diego Barajas Medina’s background?
A: Recluse gamer Francisco Barajas Medina adored “Call of Duty.” After leaving his Family Dollar job a year earlier, he sold on Amazon.
Q: Does Diego Barajas Medina have a criminal record?
A: Sources said Diego Barajas Medina had no criminal past or hostile intent.
Q: How is the probe?
A: The death of Diego Barajas Medina is under investigation. FBI is reviewing his phone and social media records to identify his motives.
Conclusion
The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park tragedy involving Diego Barajas Medina continues to haunt the town and investigators. Diego, a 20-year-old video gamer with financial problems, was found dead with a terrifying arsenal of guns and explosives.
The lavatory wall’s enigmatic message, “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves,” adds to Diego’s mystery. The community worries about his threat after finding phantom weaponry like an AR-type rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, and real and fake bombs.
Diego’s reclusive lifestyle, financial problems, and apparent law enforcement fixation make his reasons unclear. Investigators wonder what drove him to such a militaristic and prepared state on that fatal day, given his humble disposition and lack of criminal history.
The FBI’s study of phone records and social media posts to understand Diego Barajas Medina’s self-inflicted death has the neighborhood on edge.
As this tragedy unfolds, it highlights mental health issues, personal struggles, and the possibility for unexpected threats in seemingly regular people. Understanding what caused this terrible incident and safeguarding community safety are important objectives.
