Door-to-door salesmen held at gunpoint by man who thought they were antifa, CO cops say

A man in Colorado was arrested Thursday after police say he held two door-to-door roofing salesmen at gunpoint because he thought they were members of antifa.

Scott Gudmundsen, 65, called police and said there were two men near his Loveland home who were wearing masks, KUSA reported. He told officials that he believed they were members of antifa going door-to-door through the neighborhood and that he was going to follow them and hold them until officers arrived, KDVR reported.

Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is a loose network of people who aggressively oppose fascism through digital and physical protests. Their tactics sometimes include physical violence and property damage.

Not long after, police received a call from another person saying that a man in “tactical gear” with a rifle was holding two people on the ground at gunpoint, according to the Loveland Reporter-Herald.

Police responded to the scene around 6 p.m. and discovered that the two men, both in their twenties, were door-to-door roofing salesmen who were inspecting hail damage after a recent storm, KDVR reported.

They were each wearing white surgical masks, shorts and polo shirts displaying the company’s name, according to the outlet.

Police said there was no evidence that the salesmen had done anything wrong, KUSA reported.

Chris Tulp, who owns the roofing company, said the duo was rattled by the incident.

“I have spoken to both teammates and they are understandably shaken,” Tulp said in a statement obtained by KUSA. “I want to respect their space. With that said, we intend to stand up for the members of our team who are hard-working, honest, charitable, good people. We are proud of them and deeply saddened that they were subjected to this horrific incident and will stick-with and support them in any way necessary to ensure justice is served.”

Gudmundsen was found around the corner from his home with two Glock pistols, including one that had been converted into a weapon that looked like a rifle, police said, according to the outlet.

Gudmundsen was arrested and charged with false imprisonment and menacing, the Herald reported. He’s since been released on bond, according to the Herald.

He’s expected back in court on Thursday, court records show.

This story was originally published June 14, 2020 at 10:39 AM with the headline "Door-to-door salesmen held at gunpoint by man who thought they were antifa, CO cops say."