Fight with computer brings SWAT team

2003-01-13 08:30

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/city_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2422_1661447,00.html By Mary Butler, Camera Staff Writer January 9, 2003 A 32-year-old Boulder man who had opened his apartment's patio door to enjoy Wednesday's unusually warm weather was later overheard screaming threats and seen waving what appeared to be a handgun, prompting a maintenance worker to call police. Officers, as a precaution, evacuated the man's apartment building and called SWAT officers to assist in defusing the situation. It turned out that the man was simply upset at his computer - which he had called a "bitch" he "wanted to kill," police said - and the gun was a plastic pellet gun, not the .45-caliber automatic handgun it was made to resemble. "It was alarming and concerning and expensive for us, but the man's conduct didn't warrant any criminal charges," Deputy Police Chief Dave Hayes said. Three people were evacuated from the man's eight-unit building, at 3350 Bridger Trail in the Remington Post condominium complex at the intersection of 30th Street and Iris Avenue. The 3 p.m. incident was resolved by about 4:30 p.m. The man, whose name wasn't released because he wasn't arrested on suspicion of any crime, was cooperative once police contacted him. Police did not confiscate the pellet gun, but with the man's permission, they took another firearm from his home "for safekeeping." "He was very surprised, embarrassed and apologetic," Hayes said. Hundreds of people driving near the housing complex - which is adjacent to banks, a grocery store and the Alterra retirement community - were detoured as police officers directed traffic to keep residents of the complex from going home. Many people watched from sidewalks to find out why SWAT officers were carrying large rifles around the housing complex. - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.

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