By Steven K. Paulson
The Associated Press
DENVER — A man carrying a gun and declaring “I am the emperor” was shot and killed Monday outside the offices of Gov. Bill Ritter by a member of the governor’s security detail, a spokesman said. Ritter was not injured.
The unidentified man refused orders to drop his gun, spokesman Evan Dreyer said. Four or five shots were heard, but authorities would not say how many times the security officer fired.
The shooting occurred in a hall outside the governor’s offices on the first floor of the Capitol. It was not clear where the governor was at the time.
Before he was shot, the gunman said, “I am the emperor and I’m here to take over state government,” Dreyer said.
The Capitol has no metal detectors. They are usually installed temporarily during the governor’s annual State of the State address in January but then are removed.
Authorities roped off the area where the man was shot, and an ambulance and eight police cars converged on the building’s north entrance.
Pat Garriott said he was eating in the basement cafeteria when he heard shots.
“We heard a series of loud bangs, about four,” he said. “My partner and I looked up and saw a flash of smoke. We figured out it was probably gunshots.”
Security agents rushed them into a basement office for safety and kept them there for about 20 minutes, he said.