PUEBLO — A man broke into an abandoned building on the Colorado Mental Health Hospital’s south campus through a window earlier this month, armed with three guns, according to arrest papers obtained by News5 Investigates.
Officers say they found 24-year-old Jaden Carpe on the first floor of Building 2, which is on the south campus, on Saturday, March 9 after responding to a burglar alarm from inside the building around 2:00 p.m.
Hospital police tell News5 Investigates the now abandoned building has never housed patients. It is a state-owned building hospital police respond to, but not operated by the hospital. The building is near three Colorado Department of Corrections facilities and other state agency buildings.
Records from police say Carpe, along with another man who was given a ticket for trespassing, removed a wood panel to get into a window in the building.
Police say Carpe told officers he had a handgun on his belt, that’s when an Officer drew their weapon and another officer ordered them to get out of the building.
When officers told the men they were trespassing, police say the men said they didn’t see the “no trespassing” signs and were not aware they couldn’t be in the building.
Officers say Carpe then told officers there were two other weapons and a camera inside the building. Police discovered a rifle and another handgun along with tactical gear and other gun accessories.
Police say Carpe told them he was making videos and taking pictures for work.
Another officer’s report says Carpe admitted he shouldn’t have been at the building saying “Okay I know I shouldn’t have been here, but I never thought it would be this bad, I was making a video for the company I work for, and I wanted to look as real as possible.”
Carpe faces a felony charge of Introducing Contraband.
News5 Investigates reached out to the Department of Human Services, and sent the following statement:
“Because the break-in is an active law enforcement investigation, we aren’t able to speak on it or participate in an interview. However, patient and staff safety are our top priority, and while this specific incident didn’t place any patients or staff in danger, we are taking extra precautions to ensure our campus is secure and safe. We are grateful to our public safety officers that are on our campus for their swift response, as well as the different law enforcement agencies involved. We will continue to cooperate with the investigation, and with criminal prosecution of these crimes.”
Have a story you'd like News5 Investigates to look into? Send an email to News5Investigates@KOAA.com.
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