Colorado State Capitol Staffer Recounts Fatal Shooting Outside Governor's Office
"I didn't really see anything," an employee of Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter's office said Monday after a man was shot and killed shortly after 2 p.m. at the Capitol.
The employee, who wished to remain anonymous while discussing events at the Capitol, said he didn't see the shooting but heard "three really rapid-fire (shots) and then, a second later, three more."
9news.com, the NBC affiliate in Denver, reported that man waved a gun and said, "I am the emperor and I'm here to take over state government." He was killed by a state trooper.
"As you can imagine, everything (in the Capitol) echoes pretty loud," the employee said. "I knew it was gun shots, so that was pretty unsettling."
The employee said workers were locked down until authorities had the Capitol secured.
There are no metal detectors at the Capitol, and visitors are welcome to roam in public spaces with searches.
"I'm sort of surprised something like this didn't happen earlier," the employee said.
"The whole thing was probably over in five seconds, but it seemed longer than that," the employee said, noting that the state patrol was "all over the place" within minutes.
Jim Carpenter, the governor's chief of staff, sent everyone home, the employee said. He suspects they'll be back at work Tuesday.
Published by Tim Skillern
I am the director of news-editorial for Yahoo! Contributor Network on Yahoo! News. Before that, I was a videographer, copy editor and/or sportswriter for the Rocky Mountain News, the Boulder Daily Camera and... View profile
A Student's Guide to Mountain State University Located in Beckley, West...A review of Mountain State University and things to do around Beckley, West Virginia. - The Tennessee State Museum - A Free Museum in Nashville, Tennessee that is Perfect...The Tennessee State Museum is one of the largest museums in the South that focuses on the history of the South, which includes the American Indians that once made the South their home all the way up through the Civil...
Guide to the 1999 State QuartersIn 1999 the first five of the '50 State Quarters' were released by the U.S. Mint. Here's a guide and a little history about those first five coins...- Missouri Governor Begins Fight Against Employing Illegal ImmigrantsMO Governor Matt Blunt has begun his fight to keep illegal immigrants from working for the state.
- Schwarzenegger Threatens Veto Power for State BudgetThe budget impasse for California is affecting thousands of residents. Schwarzenegger vows to take steps
- A Look at the Old State Capitol, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Arkansas' Old State House
- The History of State Capitol Annapolis, Maryland
- Tallahassee - Capitol of Quaint
- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Proposes State Universal Healthcare
- Missouri Governor Demands $100,000 Increase to State Firefighting Program
- Austin's Holiday Light Displays: Annual Ceremonies and State Capitol Lights
3 Comments
Post a CommentSomewhere tonight the family of a mentally ill man is living their worst nightmare. While I understand why he had to be shot, and am truly grateful that no one else was hurt, it's a shame it happened. Metal detectors might have saved his life.
Sad times for Denver. I used to live there and this capitol building is so beautiful. I agree with the employee though - I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner. Very good reporting. Thanks.
Crazy! Glad the employees are all alright.