The Loveland man accused of holding two roof insurance salesmen at gunpoint because he thought they were members of an anti-facist group is now being treated at a behavioral health facility in Fort Collins, a defense attorney said Thursday.
Scott Gudmundsen, 65, has been formally charged with two counts of felony menacing, two counts of prohibited use of a firearm, two counts of false imprisonment and one count of impersonating a police officer.
Police say Gudmundsen held two roof inspection salesmen at gunpoint and knelt on the neck of one of the men — who was later identified by Colorado State University as a football player and person of color — because he thought they were members of antifa.
Gudmundsen’s first court appearance was scheduled for Thursday morning, but he did not appear because he is being treated at UCHealth Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Facility — which is where he has been since posting his $500 bond Friday, defense attorney Joseph Gavaldon told the court Thursday.
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Gavaldon has not been retained by Gudmundsen, he told 8th Judicial District Judge Michelle Brinegar on Thursday, and he has also not met with Gudmundsen. Gavaldon said he was not prepared to discuss the case and only wanted to ask Brinegar not issue a warrant for Gudmundsen’s arrest because he didn’t appear in court.
Brinegar did not immediately issue a warrant Thursday, but set a new court date in one week to check on the status of Gudmundsen’s treatment at the behavioral health facility.
“If he’s been released from Mountain Crest, he needs to appear,” Brinegar told Gavaldon.
Gavaldon said he did not know when Gudmundsen might be released from the facility.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Mangione also told the judge that law enforcement is aware of potential mental health issues in this case and they are continuing to investigate.
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A sign at the Black Lives Matter in Northern Colorado’s Rally for Accountability demonstration in Civic Center Park, Fort Collins, CO on June 18, 2020. (Photo: Miles Blumhardt/Fort Collins Coloradoan)
About 50 protesters gathered outside the Larimer County Justice Center Thursday morning during Gudmundsen’s hearing, many with signs saying “Black lives matter” and messages calling for justice.
Gudmundsen reportedly thought the two salesmen were members of antifa when he held them at gunpoint and told them to get on the ground or he’d shoot them, according to arrest documents.
The men were wearing surgical masks and polo shirts with the logo of their employer, and they had clipboards and pamphlets next to them on the ground, police said. They had also identified themselves to Gudmundsen the day before when they went to his house, the men told police.
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Gudmundsen, reportedly armed with two loaded pistols, a tactical vest and additional loaded magazines, allegedly knelt on the neck of the CSU football player and held a gun to his back, telling him “he was not going to kill him, the police would,” according to arrest documents.
About 140 CSU football players, coaches and administrators held a rally and a march at Old Town Square on Wednesday to show support for their teammate.
Gudmundsen’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 25 where the judge will check-in on Gudmundsen’s status with the behavioral health facility.
Sady Swanson covers crime, courts, public safety and more throughout Northern Colorado. You can send your story ideas to her at sswanson@coloradoan.com or on Twitter at @sadyswan. Support our work and local journalism with a digital subscription at Coloradoan.com/subscribe.
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