State Rep. Don Wilson left a loaded Glock 9mm handgun in a bathroom at the Colorado state Capitol on Tuesday, in the wake of a bill under consideration to ban firearms in sensitive spaces, including the Rotunda.
The Colorado State Patrol, which is responsible for security at the Capitol, reported that a semi-automatic firearm was found on the single-occupancy unisex restroom shelf. Building staff discovered the weapon around 9:30 p.m. and immediately called State Troopers, “indicating the firearm was unattended for 23 minutes before being discovered by maintenance staff,” in a statement published by the CSP.
“I want to be clear that I assume full and complete responsibility for the incident,” Wilson said in a written statement posted Thursday to X, formerly Twitter.
“I made a mistake and I’m really sorry. I take gun safety very seriously. This is a humbling experience and I will reaffirm my commitment to responsible handling procedures.
The gun was returned to Wilson after law enforcement determined no state laws were violated and no criminal charges were pending as a result of the incident.
State Rep. Julie McCluskie said the situation further highlights the need for gun-banning legislation.
“The consequences of leaving a firearm unattended in a public space could be very serious,” the Democratic lawmaker said.
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Coincidentally, a state Senate bill was being debated in the legislature that would expand the places where people could not legally carry a firearm, whether concealed or open, including the Colorado Capitol, voting centers and schools.
“This should not have happened and cannot happen again, and that is why our caucus is pursuing legislation to ban the carrying of firearms in the Capitol,” McCluskie said.
This article was originally published on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado Rep. Don Wilson leaves a loaded Glock 9mm in the Capitol bathroom
