James Blanning, 72, a well-known Aspen crank delivered “bombs wrapped as as Christmas presents to two banks Wednesday along with notes threatening “mass death” if they did not turn over tens of thousands of dollars.”
Blanning, who had lived in the Aspen his whole life, was found dead in his car Wednesday December 31, 2008 after apparently shooting himself, according to a story on CNN.
The incidents Wednesday sparked the evacuation of a 16-block area of Aspen on New Year’s Eve, one of the busiest days of the year for businesses in Aspen. . . . Bomb squads ultimately detonated the devices, and no one was injured.
We’re guessing ESPN is pretty glad this didn’t go down during the X Games.
[Link: CNN and The New York Times]
