Gunman shoots at Colorado Supreme Court building, sets fire before surrendering: police

A 43-year-old man was arrested early Tuesday after he opened fire and barricaded himself inside the Colorado Supreme Court building in Denver, authorities said.

The Colorado State Patrol said in a statement that they did not believe the incident was related to earlier threats against the court’s seven justices after they ruled 4-3 on Dec. 19 that former President Donald Trump was ineligible to appear on the ballot. state primary on March 5.

The suspect, identified as Brandon Olsen, was involved in a car accident outside the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center around 1:15 a.m. and pointed a gun at the other driver before forcing his way into the building through a window. , according to CSP. .

After breaking in, Olsen allegedly pointed a gun at an unarmed security guard. He then confiscated that officer’s keys and headed to the seventh floor, according to investigators.

While there, Olsen fired more shots and apparently started a fire, activating fire extinguishers, according to the Denver police affidavit signed in support of his arrest.

A general view of the Colorado Supreme Court building after a man broke into and barricaded himself inside overnight. REUTERS

Around 3 a.m., Olsen surrendered to law enforcement officers who had surrounded the building.

“There are no injuries among the occupants of the building, the suspect or police personnel,” authorities said in a press release.

Several hours after the incident, a large broken window could be seen on the ground floor of the building, with glass spilling onto the sidewalk along a busy downtown street. A CSP agent guarded the place.

Police tape surrounds an area where a man broke into the Colorado Supreme Court building and barricaded himself inside overnight. REUTERS

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Centennial State judges found that Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021 violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits those who “engage in an insurrection or rebellion” from holding public office.

Trump has been allowed to remain on the primary ballot, barring an extraordinary intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold or uphold the Colorado court’s decision before primary ballots are printed later this week.

CSP has said it has increased security for Supreme Court judges since its ruling, but declined to detail how. He said his security officers at the entrances to state buildings are unarmed but can call armed state patrol officers stationed nearby for help.

Donald Trump was also booted from the 2024 Republican primary ballot in Maine. AP

An investigation is underway into the matter.

With post cables

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Source: vtt.edu.vn

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