A 44-year-old Colorado man shot his way into the building that houses the Colorado Supreme Court early Tuesday and did “significant and extensive damage” while inside, until he called 911 himself from the 7th floor and surrendered.
Brandon Olsen was involved in a two-car crash near the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center — which houses the state Supreme Court — shortly after 1 a.m., the Denver Police Department said, according to KDVR. Police were notified that one of the drivers brandished a gun at the other driver.
Shortly afterward, Olsen allegedly shot out a window in the building and entered, the Associated Press reported.
Once inside, he came into contact with an unarmed security guard with the Colorado State Patrol Capitol Security Unit, holding him at gunpoint and demanding access to other parts of the building, KDVR said.
The security guard said that he came across Olsen while he was kicking a door to a maintenance room and offered to use his key. The suspect allegedly grabbed the guard’s keys and headed off, accessing an unknown number of floors in the building.
The Colorado State Patrol said he made his way to the seventh floor, where he fired shots, and also started a fire in a stairwell. All the damage was done in the building’s office tower and not in the part of the building that houses the courts.
At about 3 a.m., Olsen allegedly called 911. A semi-automatic pistol was found on a table when he was taken into custody.
Olsen has been charged with first degree arson, aggravated robbery, and burglary. He has previous drug and driving under the influence charges on his record.
The state patrol said investigators don’t believe the incident was connected to the recent state Supreme Court ruling barring Donald Trump from the ballot in the Republican primary over his alleged participation in an insurrection to overthrow the democratic government of the United States. The justices have received numerous death threats after their ruling, which they paused while appeals make their way to the US Supreme Court.
The judiciary building was closed for the day on Tuesday.
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[Featured image: Police tape blocks damage to the windows of the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center/AP Photo/Colleen Slevin. Inset: Brandon Olsen/Denver Police Department]
