A man who carried a semi-automatic gun in an RTD light rail stop in Denver on Tuesday, claiming to be a SWAT paramedic, was charged today with firearms violations.
The man, Wayne Michael Thornton, 21, was charged with having a firearm in a public transportation facility and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.
Thornton’s prior conviction came when he was a juvenile in 2006.
On Tuesday, Thornton was dressed in a uniform and was carrying a gun in the light rail station at Interstate 25 and Broadway.
According to the arrest affidavit, Thornton was approached by security personnel, but claimed to be a SWAT paramedic working for a local company. RTD security officers then walked away from Thornton, but saw him board a northbound train, said Scott Reed, spokesman for RTD. It is unknown how far Thornton may have been rode the train.
Further investigation led to his arrest the next day.
Thornton was released on a $25,000 bond and will be in court on Sept. 2.
Reed said another incident involving Thornton was reported to RTD by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office on August 13th, when deputies removed Thornton from a bus at Kipling Parkway and Bowles Avenue near the Southwest Plaza mall. He was also carrying a gun in that case.
