Colorado state Rep. Don Wilson left a handgun in a state Capitol bathroom earlier this week, House leadership and the Colorado State Patrol confirmed Thursday.
Wilson, a Monument Republican, apologized on the social media platform X for the Tuesday night incident after a closed-door meeting with House leadership Thursday morning.
The State Patrol said a janitor discovered the loaded 9 mm Glock unattended on a shelf in the restroom at 9:21 p.m. Tuesday, and troopers in the Capitol were alerted, according to a news release. The State Patrol said surveillance video showed Wilson had left the restroom 23 minutes before the weapon was found.
About 50 minutes after troopers retrieved the gun, Wilson contacted the State Patrol “to report leaving items in the restroom,” the release says. Shortly after, troopers returned the gun to him.
In a statement, Wilson said an “incident occurred where my firearm was left briefly unattended at the Capitol building after the building was closed to the public” Tuesday. The building’s exterior doors had closed to the public at 7 p.m.
That night, Wilson was serving on the House Judiciary Committee, which worked late after the impeachment proceedings against Secretary of State Jena Griswold.
Wilson, a freshman lawmaker who’s running for an El Paso County commission seat, was not immediately available for comment Thursday. A spokesman for the House Republicans referred comment to the State Patrol, which provides security to the Capitol building.
The State Patrol said troopers determined that Wilson did not violate any laws.
In his statement, Wilson thanked the State Patrol and Capitol staff “for their hard work and professionalism in quickly responding.”
In a separate statement, Democratic House leadership criticized Wilson’s handling of the weapon. House Speaker Julie McCluskie said the incident had created “a dangerous situation” that “should not have happened and cannot happen again.”
Firearms are not generally allowed in the Capitol, though that rule does not apply to state lawmakers. It’s also not the first incident involving lawmakers and firearms in the Capitol: In 2022, Rep. Richard Holtorf, an Akron Republican, dropped a gun while rushing to a vote.
Last year, Rep. Ron Weinberg, a Loveland Republican, had two guns stolen from his car when it was parked outside of the Capitol.
Democratic Majority Leader Monica Duran, in a statement, called it “frustrating and disappointing to continually see colleagues make mistakes with their guns.”
She said Wilson has committed to not carrying a firearm in the Capitol.
Staff writer Nick Coltrain contributed to this story.
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