A gunman is in police custody after he forced his way into the Colorado Supreme Court building early Tuesday morning, police confirmed to Scripps News Denver.
"CSP (Colorado State Patrol) and DPD (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," CSP said in a news release later Tuesday morning.
Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, two cars crashed and one of the drivers reportedly pointed a gun at the other driver, according to CSP. The driver with the gun then entered the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center, according to DPD spokesperson Kurt Barnes.
The man encountered an unarmed security guard from the CSP Capitol Security Unit. The suspect held the security guard at gunpoint and took his keys to gain access to the rest of the building.
Police investigating threats against Colorado Supreme Court justices
Police declined to give specifics about the incidents, saying there were outstanding safety risks and that the investigation was still ongoing.
The suspect fired gunshots out a window on the east side of the building and then made his way to the seventh floor, firing additional shots. No one was hit by the gunfire.
The man shot at police, but they didn't fire back, according to DPD.
At approximately 3 a.m., the suspect called 911 and voluntarily surrendered to police. He was taken into custody without further incident or injury.
The man was then taken to a nearby hospital to be cleared by medical personnel, CSP said in its news release.
While investigating the scene, an officer discovered a fire in the stairwell, Barnes said. The building's sprinklers put out the fire, according to Lt. JD Chism with the Denver Fire Department. Police would not say what was burning or how the fire started.
There is significant and extensive damage to the building, according to CSP. Denver police are investigating the suspect's motive for the break-in but do not believe it's associated with previous threats to justices following their ruling to keep former President Donald Trump off the state's primary ballot.
This story was originally published by April Schildemeyer at Scripps News Denver.
