Site last updated: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Welcome, GuestSign In

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

Gunman breaks into Colorado Supreme Court building; intrusion unrelated to Trump case, police say

DENVER — A man leaving the scene of a car wreck Tuesday shot his way into the Colorado Supreme Court building and inflicted “extensive damage” to the building before being arrested by police, authorities said, adding the incident seems unrelated to the court's recent ruling banning former President Donald Trump from the ballot.

Colorado's justices have received threats ever since they ruled 4-3 last month that a rarely used constitutional provision barring from office those who “engaged in insurrection” applies to Trump. Authorities, however, said Tuesday's incident appears unrelated to that case. Trump is expected to appeal that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court later Tuesday.

“The CSP and DPD 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,” the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement said, using the acronyms for the state patrol and Denver Police Department.

The car wreck occurred just by the building in downtown Denver at 1:15 a.m., after which a man identified by police as Brandon Olsen, 43, pointed a handgun at the driver of the other car, police records show. Olsen then shot his way through a window at the seven-story Ralph Carr Colorado Justice Center, which houses the state's Supreme Court and several other courtrooms and administrative offices, shortly thereafter and entered, authorities said.

More in National News

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS