Colorado university student arrested, accused of taking 'large cache' of weapons to campus

A Colorado university student was arrested Tuesday after he was found to have a “large cache” of loaded weapons and ammunition on campus, authorities said.

The man, Robert James Killis, 24, was charged with unlawful carrying and/or possessing a weapon on a university campus, according to the Pueblo County sheriff. Deputies were alerted to Killis after witnesses alleged that he had made threats to university staff members and students at Colorado State University Pueblo, about 40 miles south of Colorado Springs.

Authorities alleged that Killis talked about buying body armor and guns and that he said he liked to kill people. A special investigations unit began monitoring his on-campus apartment. Investigators saw an ammunition box on the floorboard and a bulletproof vest in plain sight inside his 2020 Chevy Silverado, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, where, they said, deputies found fully loaded high-capacity magazines “set up in a tactical manner,” along with a loaded shotgun, handgun and semi-automatic rifle. He also was in possession of “assorted tactical equipment,” authorities said.

A search of his home revealed a second handgun and more than 100 rounds of ammunition, the sheriff’s office said.

Colorado law, which limits magazines to no more than 15 rounds per magazine, doesn’t limit how much ammunition a person can own. Illegal possession of a weapon on a school campus is a felony offense in Colorado.

Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk M. Taylor thanked those who came forward with their concerns in a statement Wednesday,

“Out of an overabundance of caution, there will be an added law enforcement presence at the university and our deputies will be available to address any concerns from students and faculty,” Taylor said. “We continue to encourage anyone who sees or hears anything suspicious or threatening that involves an educational setting to report it immediately.”

Killis, who authorities said has military experience, was in jail and is scheduled to appear in court next week. It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney based on court records.