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Suspicious packages ruin New Year's in Aspen

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 31, 2008 at 4:09 p.m.

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Empty RFTA buses are being used to block the streets of downtown Aspen.

Photo by Jordan Curet © The Aspen Times

Empty RFTA buses are being used to block the streets of downtown Aspen.

71-year-old James Blanning, who was seen on surveillance footage, has been identified as a possible suspect.

71-year-old James Blanning, who was seen on surveillance footage, has been identified as a possible suspect.

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Authorities are looking for a suspect who may have been involved in the delivery of suspicious packages to two banks in Aspen on Wednesday, forcing 16 blocks of the city's bustling downtown area to be evacuated.

Authorities are searching for 71-year-old James Blanning, of Denver, who was seen on surveillance footage, police said late Wednesday. They also were trying to identify the owner of a black sled laden with packages seen in the downtown area. The sled, which was found in a downtown alley, had clear plastic boxes containing wrapped packages with pizza boxes at the bottom. Anyone who may have information on either the suspect or the sled is asked to call 970-429-1830.

Both fireworks displays over Aspen Mountain were canceled Wednesday night.

"Everyone is very disappointed," said Monique Wagner, front desk clerk for the Hyatt Grand Hotel at the base of Ajax mountain, late Wednesday night. "They're confused about the whole situation. We have a lot of people in the lobby who were evacuated from restaurants and stores since 3 p.m."

The incident began at 2:26 p.m. when Wells Fargo bank, 119 S. Mill St., called authorities to report that it had received a suspicious package with a note.

As Aspen police and fire responded to the report, another call came in about 10 minutes later from Vectra Bank, 534 E. Hyman St., reporting that it also had received a package with a note.

"Both notes indicated a credible threat to the community," according to Linda Consuegra, incident commander with Aspen police.

The two banks and the surrounding 16 blocks were quickly evacuated. The Grand Junction Police Department Bomb Squad and officials from the FBI and ATF were on the scene late Wednesday, but it was not known if the packages had been identified as explosives, or when the area would be reopened.Police vehicles, buses and even a snowplow were being used late Wednesday to block access to streets.

It was not clear how many people were evacuated, but the American Red Cross was assisting in the effort.

Scott Cline, director of emergency services with the Western Colorado chapter of the American Red Cross, said a warming shelter was set up at Aspen High School around 5 p.m. with eight volunteers.

The Molly Gibson Lodge near downtown was evacuated at 5:45 p.m., according to the on-call manager, who only gave his name as Shad. He estimated about 120 people were directed across the street to another hotel. About 45 minutes later, he said they received a reverse-911 call saying that the Molly Gibson was outside the danger area, and that it was safe for its guests to return.

"People are in the pool, in the breakfast room," he said. "There is no place for them to go. Everything is closed — the concert, all the night clubs. Everything is crippled at this point."

Shad also said that the Molly Gibson Lodge was completely booked up Wednesday night, so it couldn't take any of the evacuees.

He said the evacuation could not have come at a worse time, severely affecting downtown businesses.

"This has got to be the worse for us — outside the Fourth of July, this is the cash cow of all cash cows," he said. "Most of the restaurants are going to be terribly hurt."

Wagner, with the Hyatt, said she knew that at least one downtown restaurant, Matsuhisa, was scrambling to find a place to host a private party for 100 Wednesday night. She didn't know where the party went, but she said that she knew of at least eight downtown restaurants that were closed because of the threats.

"People are losing so much money — it's crazy," she said.

Wagner also said there has been no word on when downtown businesses would be reopened.

Comments

  • December 31, 2008

    4:18 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    leavemealone writes:

    One way to get an extra day off!

  • December 31, 2008

    11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RufusTFirefly writes:

    The possible suspect looks like some jeri that just had cataract surgery and is recovering in Aspen.

  • January 1, 2009

    3:14 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    IwantMikesHair writes:

    rufustfirefly, from PT....it's a small internet afterall!

  • January 1, 2009

    7:31 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    FrozenTootsies writes:

    9News is reporting now that the suspect has been found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

    This is a tragedy for lawyers: all those fat-cat Aspen businessmen who lost money due to his New Year's Eve prank shutting down the nightclubs, now don't have anyone to sue to recover all their $$millions of lost profits. Oh, wait, maybe they can sue law enforcement!

    For those who think this is a callous statement, just watch. Lawsuit filings when courts open again in three. . . two . . .

  • January 1, 2009

    7:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    FrozenTootsies writes:

    Oh, the poor suffering humanity!

    Not.

    Bunch of rich jerks who got deprived of partying for one night in Aspen.

    Yawn.

  • January 1, 2009

    4:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HopiMedicineMan writes:

    FrozenYawner
    I'm grateful to Aspen's wealthy. They pay your share of the federal budget.