OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
2:22 PM – Tuesday, January 2, 2024
A man has been arrested at the Colorado Supreme Court building after reportedly shooting out the windows and inflicting “extensive damage,” as well as threatening a security guard at gunpoint.
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On Tuesday at approximately 1:15 a.m., an armed intruder shot out windows of the Colorado Supreme Court building, circled the building for almost two hours, and even held up a security guard at gunpoint, authorities say.
The suspect was identified on Tuesday as Brandon Olsen, 44. Police arrested Olsen on charges of arson, robbery, and burglary.
Colorado State Police announced in a news release that the incident occurred after a two-vehicle car crash, which Olsen was involved in, took place outside of the building in downtown Denver.
Olsen reportedly pointed a gun at the other driver and pulled the trigger but missed his target, instead shooting out a window of the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center where the state court is lodged.
According to officials, the armed suspect then entered the building and confronted an unarmed security guard from the Colorado State Patrol. Additionally, as the suspect held the security guard at gunpoint, he “demanded access to more of the building,” and forcibly stole the guard’s keys to the building.
“The individual obtained keys from the security guard and proceeded into other parts of the building and accessed an unknown number of floors,” authorities stated in the release.
“A short time later, that same individual shot out [another] window on the east side of the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center located at 2 East 14th Ave, Denver, CO 80203,” the press release said. “The individual entered the building and came in contact with an unarmed security guard from the Colorado State Patrol Capitol Security Unit.”
“Denver Police Department (DPD) officers, as well as Colorado State Patrol Troopers, responded to the scene and set up a perimeter. The suspect then made his way to the 7th floor, where he fired additional shots inside the building.”
Responding police officers did not fire back at the suspect, and he was taken into custody about two hours after officers arrived at the scene.
“He was [then] placed in custody without further incident. There are no injuries to building occupants, the suspect, or police personnel,” the release continued. “The suspect was taken to a local hospital to be cleared by medical personnel. There is significant and extensive damage to the building and the investigation is ongoing.”
Authorities also stated that the incident appears to be unrelated to the Colorado Supreme Court’s new ruling prohibiting former President Donald Trump from the ballot. Trump is anticipated to file an appeal of that decision with the United States Supreme Court later on Tuesday.
“The Colorado State Patrol and Denver Police Department are treating this incident seriously, but at this time, it is believed that this is not associated with previous threats to the Colorado Supreme Court Justices,” the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement.
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