Loveland Man Who Held Black CSU athlete, Coworker at Gunpoint Sentenced to Probation
The Loveland man who held two salesmen, including a Black Colorado State University athlete, at gunpoint last summer has been sentenced to probation.
Former police officer Scott Gudmundsen, 66, was sentenced to four years of supervised probation during a Tuesday court hearing.
Gudmundsen pleaded guilty to menacing with a weapon, a Class 5 felony, during a March 18 court hearing. Six other charges were dismissed by the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office as part of a plea agreement.
Gudmundsen was arrested in June after he held two roofing inspection salesmen at gunpoint and knelt on the neck of one of the men — who was later identified by CSU athletics as a Black football player — because he thought they were members of the antifa movement, according to his arrest documents.
During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Wesley described the trauma he is still dealing with from that day.
“I can still remember how hard and how fast my heartbeat was,” Wesley said. “… I can remember tears running down my face as I asked Mr. Gudmundsen not to kill me.”
Wesley said he remembers thinking about how the community and nation will remember his last moments alive, and that he might become another hashtag and another reason to protest.
“It was clear to Mr. Gudmundsen that my Black life did not matter,” Wesley said.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Mangione read a letter written by the other salesmen, who said it was Wesley’s second day of training when they were attacked by Gudmundsen.
“I’m saddened by Scott’s violent attack on us because of Barry’s skin color,” the letter read. The victim also said Gudmundsen’s political beliefs seemed to have influenced his attack.
The victim said in his letter that he has struggled going back to his career because of the “lasting emotional trauma and stress” from the incident.
Gudmundsen was not charged with a bias-motivated crime, also known as a hate crime. Wesley, through his attorney, filed a motion in December requesting 8th Judicial District Judge Michelle Brinegar force the district attorney to file a bias-motivated crime charge against Gudmundsen. Brinegar denied the request.
During Friday’s hearing, Brinegar said she was inspired by the victims’ “courage, strength and grace despite this violent attack.”
In one of Welsey’s previous letters to the court, Brinegar said Wesley asked her to put herself in his shoes, something she said she’s tried to do this entire case. While we all live with some fear of being the victim of a random attack, Brinegar said “some in the community have the extra fear of being targeted because of their race … or beliefs.”
Wesley’s attorney, Benjamin DeGolia, told the Coloradoan they were disappointed a hate crime charge was never filed in this case, especially with Brinegar acknowledging “the racial aspect of this case” during Tuesday’s hearing. If a hate crime charge had been filed, DeGolia said it likely would have given Brinegar harsher sentencing options to better protect Wesley and his family.