'Suspicious device' found near entrance of Alamosa County Justice Center

Pueblo bomb squad determines it was not explosive; Gibson of Alamosa was arrested

STAFF REPORT
Posted 10/16/24

ALAMOSA – The Alamosa County Justice Center was evacuated Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, due to a suspicious device placed near the front entrance, according to the City of Alamosa.

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'Suspicious device' found near entrance of Alamosa County Justice Center

Pueblo bomb squad determines it was not explosive; Gibson of Alamosa was arrested

Posted

ALAMOSA – The Alamosa County Justice Center was evacuated Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, after a "suspicious device" was found near the front entrance, according to Alamosa Police Department Chief George Dingfelder. 

A suspect is in custody, said Dingfelder to the Valley Courier shortly before 9:30 a.m. He said the device was found by court security at about 8:45 a.m. and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Pueblo Police Department Bomb Squad were on route to evaluate the device, Dingfelder said

Nathan Gibson, 39, of Alamosa was arrested and booked into the Alamosa County Detention Facility on suspicion of assault in the first degree - threat to judicial officer, felony menacing, and retaliation against a prosecutor, according to a City of Alamosa press release. Gibson was also booked on two active warrants. 

Later in the morning, the bomb squad determined it was not an explosive device and turned it over to APD for evidence processing.

“We had actually come here to arrest him on some warrants,” Dingfelder said. “My understanding is he had court this morning and he brought this with him. He is someone pretty well known to us to the point where we have to take it as a serious threat. Whether it is a hoax or not, we won’t know until ATF and Pueblo bomb squad get here, but we have to treat it, without a doubt, as the real thing.” 

Any crimes at the Alamosa County Justice Center, 8955 Independence Way, fall under the jurisdiction of the Alamosa Police Department, Chief Dingfelder explained. Court security is handled by the Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office. 

12th Judicial District Chief Judge Amanda Hopkins made the decision to evacuate the building, Dingfelder said. 

“We talked to Chief Judge Hopkins who made the decision in the interest of safety to close the courthouse for the day,” Dingfelder said. “Judge Hopkins and the court made the 100 percent right decision to evacuate the building. 

The parking lot was searched for “any other devices,” Dingfelder said. “We don’t know what it is. We have it secured and at this point are waiting for ATF and Pueblo bomb squad to get here and check out the device.” 

Dingfelder did not give a detailed description of the “device” that was found. 

“It was suspicious enough, I don’t think we want to go into it fully at this time until we get them here to make a determination,” he said.  

Dingfelder was in communication with the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office regarding charges. 

“Really, really good timing. Everything just kind of worked out. But the fact that he brings a device like this to courts is very alarming,” Dingfelder said.