A heavily armed man who appeared to be planning to shoot up a mountain top amusement park at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Colorado, killed himself before carrying out his plan, according to authorities.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said park officials found the 20-year-old man dead inside the park on Saturday morning before opening to the public.
Authorities said the man apparently broke into the park while it was closed, adding he was armed with an AR-style rifle, a handgun and explosives.
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The man was also wearing tactical clothing and body armor.
Sheriff Lou Vallario said a message was found written on the wall of the women’s bathroom where the man was found, which read, "I am not a killer, I just want to get into the caves."
The sheriff could not verify whether the man who was found dead wrote the message.
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Investigators searched the man’s vehicle and reportedly found explosive devices, though when the rest of the park was searched, no other explosives were found.
"While this investigation is still ongoing and very active it is important to realize that given the amount of weaponry, ammunition, and explosive devices found, the suspect could have implemented an attack of devastating proportions upon our community and first responders," Garfield County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Walt Stowe said.
The sheriff’s office said the man was local to the area. He was also found to be in possession of extra loaded magazines for each of the two weapons he had when he was found dead.
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Stowe said the man had patches and emblems on his clothing that made it appear that he was a member of law enforcement.
According to reporting from the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, Stowe said the man’s death was being investigated as a possible suicide.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is on a mountain near the Colorado River in western Colorado. It is known for its cave tours, alpine coaster and swing ride that sits on the edge of a cliff and sends riders over a canyon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
