NEDERLAND Colorado- Sheriff's deputies were interviewing witnesses of a fatal shooting Tuesday as they tried to understand what prompted one ski resort employee to gun down the general manager. The gunman was later shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy.
Authorities in Boulder County say the gunman killed the general manager of the Eldora Mountain Resort before leading a deputy on a chase and being shot and killed by a deputy at the end.
Authorities say the gunman was a lift operator at Eldora Mountain Resort and he walked into the pump house 7:30 a.m. with a gun, mumbled something about religion and fired a shot into the ceiling of a locker room.
The resort's general manager, 49-year-old Brian Mahon of Nederland, came inside to find out what was going on. Investigators say he was shot and killed, hit once in the head and once in the chest.
"The Eldora employee turned the gun on Brian and shot him and then fled the scene," said Rob Linde, spokesman for Eldora. "All of our thoughts and prayers go out to Brian and his family. It's with great sadness that we are here to inform you of this tragic news."
"I think the entire community, at this point, is shocked by a pretty violent series of events on a beautiful holiday week," said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle.
According to Pelle, several other employees witnessed the shooting and there were about 18 to 20 people inside the lift house for their normal meeting. Mahon was pronounced dead at the scene.
Undersheriff Tom Shomaker says he believes Mahon was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Deputies say the employee, whose name has not been released, got into a vehicle after the shooting and tried to get away by heading south on Highway 119 toward Rollinsville.
Pelle says someone called 911 and gave authorities the gunman's name and a description of his vehicle. That's when a Boulder County Sheriff's deputy, who was on patrol in Nederland at the time, intercepted the gunman and began chasing him briefly, finally pulling him over on Highway 119.
Authorities say the man opened fire on the deputy's vehicle, riddling it with bullet holes and shattering glass, which caused minor injuries to the deputy.
Pelle says that's when the deputy returned fire, killing the gunman.
The deputy's name was also not released.
"It's upset everybody," said Pelle. "We have a lot of resources involved at this point, but we also have a lot of upset community members and employees at Eldora, and we're going to look after them as well and try to take care of their needs."
A spokesman for the resort says the gunman worked there for about one month and was in his 20s. Little else is known as to why he started shooting.
Mahon leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
"We have an amazing community up here and things like this don't happen very often and all of our culture and history and how we all have to work to survive up here, it's unfortunate that this is how most people are going to be able to see us," said Cynthia Davis, a Nederland resident.
Eldora Mountain Resort was closed for the day, but plans to reopen on Wednesday.
The road to Eldora, Highway 140, was closed while authorities investigated.
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Eldora Lift Operator shoots/kills GM, then gets killed by Police
Started by RibStaThiok, Dec 30 2008 06:30 PM
18 replies to this topic
#6
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Posted 30 December 2008 - 07:43 PM
Tragic news, thoughts and prayers for everyone up there. the folks at Eldora are top notch. I was just at eldora on sunday too.
#8
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Posted 30 December 2008 - 10:44 PM
WTF
"Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish—a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow—to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested . . . Res ipsa loquitur (it speaks for it self). Let the good times roll." HT
#10
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Posted 31 December 2008 - 07:03 AM
I had the pleasure of working with Brian at both Copper and Eldora over a 25 year period. He was truly one of the best.
I will miss seeing him....
Dino
I will miss seeing him....
Dino
"Things turn out best for the people that make the best of the way things turn out." A.L.
WTF?!?!
#13
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Posted 31 December 2008 - 08:29 AM
It's sad that weird quirks of the human nature sometimes come to this.
I'm sure that we all sympathize with Mr. Mahon's family and friends - but at the same time we must realize that we all stand an equal chance of meeting up with a lunatic and a gun.
We may look for reasons, explanations... something or someone to blame - but it's a futile search. Sometimes, all the wrong elements come together at the same time and a tragedy results.
The best we can do is to honor Mr. Mahon's memory and deeds - and maybe alter our own conduct just a bit.
I'm sure that we all sympathize with Mr. Mahon's family and friends - but at the same time we must realize that we all stand an equal chance of meeting up with a lunatic and a gun.
We may look for reasons, explanations... something or someone to blame - but it's a futile search. Sometimes, all the wrong elements come together at the same time and a tragedy results.
The best we can do is to honor Mr. Mahon's memory and deeds - and maybe alter our own conduct just a bit.
There are three roads to ruin; women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians. Georges Pompidou
#15
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Posted 31 December 2008 - 12:46 PM
This seems to be the most complete account so far.
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/dec/3...ng-near-eldora/
"The suspect, identified by the Boulder County Coroner's Office as 24-year-old Derik A. Bonestroo, of Nederland, yelled something about religion to the employees and then fatally shot Mahon."
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/dec/3...ng-near-eldora/
"The suspect, identified by the Boulder County Coroner's Office as 24-year-old Derik A. Bonestroo, of Nederland, yelled something about religion to the employees and then fatally shot Mahon."
There are three roads to ruin; women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians. Georges Pompidou
#17
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lift mechanic
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Posted 01 January 2009 - 02:05 PM
DakarNick, on Dec 31 2008, 12:43 PM, said:
Who is Jeff? I thought the victim's name was Brian.
It was- I got the names mixed up. I didn't know him personally but knew of him from those here who did.
Member, Department of Ancient Technology, Colorado chapter.
#18
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Posted 01 January 2009 - 06:52 PM
I met Brian twice on trips west over the last several years and worked with friend of his (who made the introduction). He was always a heck of a nice guy when I stopped in to beg for a free ticket (which he happily gave me with a smile and a story) and again at the end of the day when I stopped in to say thank you (which I always did). An asset to our entire community and industry has been lost.
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