A 32-year-old man is in custody after a hoax explosive device triggered the evacuation of the Colorado state Capitol on Wednesday morning, October 27, 2026. The incident, which shut down key city streets and forced employees and visitors out of the building, ended without injury after the Denver Police bomb squad determined the device was inert. Cody Miles Flynn was arrested shortly after the discovery and is now being held at the Downtown Detention Center.
For the workers in the Capitol and the commuters on Lincoln Street, a brief disruption was the price of securing the area after a suspicious device was found.
The Timeline of the Evacuation
The alarm was raised at 10:34 a.m. on Wednesday when a suspicious device was discovered on an outside windowsill on the east side of the Capitol building. Trooper Sherri Mendez noted that state patrol officers immediately secured the area and began a door-to-door sweep to clear offices on the building’s east side.
The situation escalated quickly from a localized search to a full building evacuation. The Colorado State Patrol ordered everyone out of the Capitol at 11:12 a.m. as a precautionary measure. Almost simultaneously, the city’s infrastructure felt the ripple effect: Lincoln Street and 14th Avenue were closed to all traffic to allow emergency vehicles clear access.
- 10:34 a.m.: Device discovered; initial area secured.
- 11:12 a.m.: Full evacuation of the state Capitol ordered.
- 11:14 a.m.: Denver Police bomb squad arrives on site.
- 11:29 a.m.: Suspect Cody Miles Flynn is arrested.
- 11:49 a.m.: Evacuation lifted; roadways reopened.
The bomb squad utilized X-ray technology to inspect the object, which featured wires protruding from both the top and the bottom. The State Patrol confirmed the device was specifically designed to look like an explosive but contained no hazardous materials.
Surveillance and the Arrest of Cody Miles Flynn
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, which showed Cody Miles Flynn walking toward the east steps of the Capitol and placing the device near the door. This footage allowed authorities to identify a “person of interest” and move toward an arrest within an hour of the evacuation order.
Flynn, born December 2, 1993, is now being investigated for possession of a hoax explosive device.
“I am grateful for the quick actions of Colorado State Patrol and Denver Police to secure the building and keep those who work at the Capitol safe,” Gov. Jared Polis said through a spokesman.
Governor Polis was not inside the building when the incident occurred, avoiding the direct chaos of the evacuation, but the governor’s office emphasized the efficiency of the inter-agency coordination between the State Patrol and Denver Police.
The Stakes of Civic Disruptions
While the device was a fake, the disruption was real. The closure of 14th Avenue and Lincoln Street occurred during the emergency response in Denver.
The Denver Police bomb squad’s decision to X-ray and clear the site before allowing re-entry at 11:49 a.m. follows standard safety protocols designed to eliminate all margin for error.
Cody Miles Flynn is scheduled to appear in Denver County Court on Thursday morning to face the charges stemming from the incident.
