ASPEN, Colo. (AP) – A one-time resident of this city who had been bitter over its transformation into a playground for the rich left four gift-wrapped bombs downtown in a bank-robbery attempt, turning New Year’s Eve celebrations into a mass evacuation, police said Thursday. The dangerous bombs were made of gasoline and cell phone parts and came with notes warning of “mass death.” The 72-year-old man suspected of placing them in two banks and in an alleyway on Wednesday shot and killed himself a short time later, police said. The body of James Chester Blanning, who grew up in Aspen and lived in Denver since 2003, was found Thursday, police said.
Blanning walked into two Aspen banks about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and left packages wrapped in holiday paper along with notes saying the boxes contained bombs, police said. The notes threatened “mass death,” demanded $60,000 cash and included criticisms of President George W. Bush, Assistant Aspen Police Chief Bill Linn said at a news conference.
The threats prompted police to clear nearly all of downtown Aspen – 16 blocks that otherwise would have been filled with tens of thousands of New Year’s revelers. Residents were allowed to return at 4 a.m. Thursday, and the town’s holiday fireworks were rescheduled for Thursday night. On the outside of the envelope containing the note was Blanning’s handwritten “last will and testament,” which left three Denver properties to two men. He gave no motive, but wrote, “I was and am a good man.”
Aspen has gotten far too expensive for anyone except the rich, the working class of Aspen are forced to commute. You should expect more class warfare in the near future.
I was just there last week. As you come into town from Glenwood Springs, you pass the airport. No shortage of jets, that’s for sure. Several Golfstream IV’s and V’s, and a Dassault Falcon 900.
The thing is, this nutjob didn’t really hurt the rich folks at all. They just stayed home and got some use out of their commercial kitchens. The people who got hurt by closing down the town on New Year’s Eve are the people who were depending on a big crowd to make the rent, big tips and stay in business during a downturn.
So the bombs were made of gasoline and cell phone parts? Those nice rich oil executives toiled and scrimped to bring the price of gasoline down below two bucks a gallon, and this is the thanks they get. Sheesh!
We need to blow up more rich people and celebrities. Maybe someone will come up with a reality show that does just that.
“Aspen has gotten far too expensive for anyone except the rich, the working class of Aspen are forced to commute.”
Nothing new. It’s been that way at least since 1985 (when I moved into the Southwest), according to Colorado friends of mine. The “working class” mostly live 30 miles away in Carbondale, CO.
The guy just wanted “Justice” and a return to the way things were 50 years ago.
1 guy = nutbag.
6 million = Palestinians with some kind of perceived claim.
Anyone remember Killdozer, that was colorado as well.
#6 – Hey, that happened just down the road from where I live. I never saw so many news trucks and black Suburbans in one place in my life. I got to leave work early that afternoon.
Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of old nutjobs up here in the mountain towns. I seem ‘em at the local watering hole all the time. I think it may have something to do with the lack of women.
His name was James Blanning yesterday on CNN…he obviously had a severe mental problem….but now he is being called James Chester Blanning to try to group him in with all the other serial killers….why do they include his middle name? I never understood this but maybe I am missing something?
While this is wrong, there is some perverted justice about it.
What the hell does this have to do with rich people?
The guy was a nutjob that killed himself in the end.
He had a recent history of doing wack demonstrations like threatening to hung himself from city hall.
His brother was concerned ’cause he kept saying there would be riots everywhere.
What’s next, saying that dog poop found around beverly hills streets is a sign of social discomfort about their status?
From my past visits I have to comment that Aspen is too racist for anyone not rich or white. I’m not saying all, but you will get the eerie feeling that you’re being “eye” strolling down the streets and shops. Then again, I get stares from the local supermarket in Westminster ><!