Armed man who died by suicide at Colorado amusement park researched mass shootings

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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Tactical clothing and weapons belonging to Diego Barajas Medina are pictured. A heavily armed Medina was found dead at a Colorado mountaintop amusement park last year, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.
Tactical clothing and weapons belonging to Diego Barajas Medina are pictured. A heavily armed Medina was found dead at a Colorado mountaintop amusement park last year, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.

A heavily armed man found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at a Colorado amusement park last year had been researching mass shootings online, police say.

Diego Barajas Medina entered the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado the night of Oct. 27, 2023, when it was closed, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.

The 20-year-old's body was found in a bathroom surrounded by alcohol and weapons in a building that holds a ride with a 110-foot drop into caverns, investigators said. Officials found a message written on the bathroom wall that read: "I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves."

The discovery led to suspicions that Medina had intended to unleash a deadly attack. The sheriff's office revealed on Thursday that Medina had visited several websites that discussed other mass shootings but his motive remains uncertain.

"The investigation was unable to uncover any motive for Diego amassing such a lethal arsenal nor did it explain what happened to change his mind and why he did not follow through with whatever he was planning," the sheriff's office said in a news release.

The Defiance rollercoaster is pictured at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
The Defiance rollercoaster is pictured at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

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Medina had no criminal record or known ties to theme park

Most of Medina's intentions that night remain a mystery. He had no previous criminal activity on his record, no contact with mental health services or ties to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, according to the sheriff's office. No alcohol or illegal drugs were found in his system despite a previously released 911 call that said his body was found surrounded by alcohol.

There was no evidence that Medina had ties to an extremist group, drug cartels or terrorist organizations, the sheriff’s office said. His family, friends and school officials described him as a "being a bit of a loner."

"In the end, Diego took his own life in the women's restroom at the amusement park for reasons known only to him," the sheriff's office said.

Medina had real and fake explosives on him

Park workers found Medina's body during a routine morning check, the sheriff's office said in October. Police discovered his nearby car loaded with explosives. Both real and fake explosives were found on Medina while other improvised explosive devices were found in the vehicle.

Other weapons he wore included two homemade ghost guns − a semi-automatic rifle and semi-automatic handgun – and multiple loaded magazines, investigators said. He also wore body armor and tactical clothing bearing patches that looked similar to what law enforcement wears.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, which was built over a series of mountaintop caves, is reached via a slow-moving gondola. Medina used a narrow service road to drive to the park. In October, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario said the location of the park would have posed a challenge for officers if an attack occurred.

"We had the potential for something very heinous and gruesome to happen in this community," he said. "We’re fortunate that it did not occur."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Armed man found dead at Colorado theme park researched mass shootings