A distraught Denver man who Winter Park police said was intent on “committing suicide by cops” was subdued late last night in the resort community after he began firing his .45-caliber Colt handgun at officers.
The man, Brian Wilson, 52, told police officers during a three-hour standoff that “he had nothing to live for” and kept talking about family problems, said Glen Trainor, chief of the Fraser-Winter Park Police Department.
Trainor said that on Wednesday, Wilson’s wife filed a missing-person report about her husband with Denver police. Then, early on Thanksgiving, Day Wilson’s family contacted the Winter Park Police Department and said Wilson might be in Winter Park intending to commit suicide, said Trainor.
Trainor said his department was told Wilson was armed with a handgun and driving a 1993 Jeep Cherokee.
At about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Wilson was spotted on U.S. 40 near the Winter Park Ski Area.
Police stopped his vehicle and were attempting to remove Wilson from the Jeep when he produced the pistol and threatened officers.
Wilson then pulled his car into the middle of U.S. 40, effectively blocking the highway.
“He was agitated and uncooperative,” said Trainor.
At that point, said Trainor, the officers retreated and began negotiating with Wilson, who told them he was intent on killing himself.
During the standoff, Wilson kept his car running and was drinking Vodka, which he was pouring from a bottle into a cup.
After about three hours of negotiations, Wilson got out of his Jeep and began walking toward the officers carrying the Colt by its barrel and making comments about “committing suicide by cops.”
“We were very concerned,” said Trainor.
The gun was cocked, and the safety was off, said Trainor.
Trainor said Wilson was ordered to put the gun down and to give up, which he refused to do.
Police then fired a single “bean bag” round at Wilson, striking him in the lower chest and knocking him to the ground.
As officers approached Wilson, he grabbed the handgun and indiscriminately fired four rounds as officers closed in, police said.
Trainor said that officers were able to rush Wilson and pin his wrist to the ground.
Fortunately, said Trainor, none of his officers were hurt.
Wilson was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree assault on a peace officer, felony menacing and prohibited use of a weapon. He is being held in the Grand County Jail without bail.
He was being evaluated today by a mental-health professional, said Trainor.
Trainor said that during the standoff, which completely closed U.S. 40, officers present included members of the Fraser-Winter Park Police Department, the Granby Police Department, the Grand County Sheriff’s Department and the Colorado State Patrol.
Trainor said the Vodka bottle was completely empty by the end of the standoff.
During the standoff, Wilson told Trainor that he had spent Wednesday night in Arapaho National Forest near Granby contemplating suicide.
According to court records posted online, Wilson has had no civil or criminal problems in Colorado other than a 1996 misdemeanor driving while impaired conviction in Larimer County.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
