Last year, a heavily armed man, Diego Barajas Medina, was found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at Colorado’s Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and police have revealed that he had been researching mass shootings online.
Medina entered the amusement park on the night of October 27, 2023, when it was closed. His body was discovered in a bathroom within a building that housed a ride with a 110-foot drop into caverns. The scene was surrounded by alcohol and weapons, with a message on the bathroom wall stating, “I am not a killer, I just wanted to get into the caves.”
This discovery initially raised suspicions of a potential deadly attack, leading investigators to uncover that Medina had visited various websites discussing mass shootings. However, his exact motive remains uncertain, and the investigation was unable to reveal why he amassed a lethal arsenal or why he did not carry out any planned actions.
Medina had no criminal record or ties to the theme park, and toxicology reports showed no presence of alcohol or illegal drugs in his system, despite initial reports. There was no evidence linking him to extremist groups, drug cartels, or terrorist organizations. Described as a bit of a loner by family, friends, and school officials, Medina ultimately took his own life in the women’s restroom at the amusement park, according to the sheriff’s office.
During a routine morning check in October, park workers found Medina’s body, and police discovered his nearby car loaded with both real and fake explosives. Other weapons he carried included two homemade ghost guns – a semi-automatic rifle and semi-automatic handgun – multiple loaded magazines, body armor, and tactical clothing with patches resembling law enforcement attire.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, situated over mountaintop caves, is accessed via a slow-moving gondola. Medina used a narrow service road to reach the park. Sheriff Lou Vallario emphasized that the park’s location would have posed a challenge for law enforcement if an attack had occurred. Fortunately, the situation did not escalate into a heinous incident in the community.