“Armed Man Causes $35 Million in Damages to Colorado Supreme Court Building: Brandon Olsen Arrested”

Accident – death – Obituary News : Armed Man Causes $35 Million in Damages to Colorado Supreme Court Building

In a shocking incident that occurred in the early morning hours of January 2, an armed man broke into the Colorado Supreme Court building, causing an estimated $35 million in damages. Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright and State Court Administrator Steven Vasconcellos recently provided an update on the current state of the building and the next steps to legislators.

According to Chief Justice Boatright, the incident appears to be a random act and is not connected to any recent court cases. The man, identified as 44-year-old Brandon Olsen, allegedly broke into the building after being involved in a car crash. He reportedly grabbed a pistol from his car and proceeded to shoot out a window on the east side of the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center.

Once inside, Olsen confronted an unarmed security guard and held him at gunpoint as he attempted to break into a store/maintenance room. After obtaining the keys from the security guard, Olsen made his way to the seventh floor of the building, where he fired additional shots and started a fire in a stairwell.

Thankfully, no one was hurt during the incident, and the security guard who was held at gunpoint is healthy and receiving support from the State Patrol. Denver police have stated that the incident does not appear to be connected to any threats made against the justices following the court’s decision to ban former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s primary ballot.

The damages caused by the incident are extensive. The fire sprinklers ran for two hours, resulting in water flowing from the seventh floor down to the basement. The HVAC system also carried the fire’s smoke throughout the building. Industrial hygienists are currently assessing the potential impacts of the smoke.

According to Vasconcellos, the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors of the building will need to be completely rebuilt. The least damaged floors may be occupiable by early March, but repairs to the severely damaged floors could take up to a year.

The Judicial Department does not plan to ask for funding from the General Assembly to cover the damages. Officials are still in the process of drying records that were impacted during the incident, and it is unclear if any cases will be affected. However, no court records or records related to the Office of the State Court Administrator were compromised.

The courthouse side of the Carr Center will reopen to the public on January 16, with visitors needing to sign an entrance registry. The Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals will continue to hear oral arguments as scheduled.

Brandon Olsen is scheduled to appear in court on January 30.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of security measures in public buildings. The Colorado Supreme Court building will undergo necessary repairs to ensure the safety and functionality of the facility..