A 26-year-old ranger from Staunton State Park in Colorado is currently facing multiple charges, both misdemeanor and felony, following an alleged stabbing incident reported on Tuesday morning in Denver.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Callum Heskett, a 26-year-old Seasonal Ranger with Colorado Parks and Wildlife at Staunton State Park, radioed for assistance around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19th.

Heskett claimed he was attacked and stabbed by an individual, providing authorities with a detailed description of the supposed perpetrator, who he stated fled the scene on foot.

The reported incident prompted a significant law enforcement response. Staunton State Park was closed until Wednesday, and a large number of first responders, along with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies, were dispatched to offer aid and search for the suspect. Police labeled the suspect as “dangerous,” though assured the public faced no immediate threat.

Heskett was airlifted to a hospital while the search for the suspect continued for hours.

Authorities sent a reverse 911 alert to 8,600 nearby households and issued an IPAWS alert to reach all phones within a specific area, regardless of notification sign-ups. As a precaution, several schools and residents in the vicinity were placed on lockdown.

The search was bolstered by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and drone units, alongside other investigators and patrol resources. The Colorado State Patrol’s Special Operations and Response teams, including aviation units, were also mobilized to assist.

Ranger’s statements appeared inconsistent to investigators

Inconsistencies in Heskett’s statements began to emerge during the investigation, according to the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office.

“That, along with other conflicting and questionable evidence, further raised concerns about the validity of his allegations,” the sheriff’s office shared Thursday afternoon. “After investigators conducted their first interview with Heskett, it became even more clear that his story was flawed and erroneous.”

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Heskett was arrested Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued at 2 p.m. He remains under a doctor’s care at the hospital, but will be transferred to the Jefferson County Jail when he is released.

“The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to ensuring public safety and holding individuals accountable when false reports create unnecessary risks for the community and first responders,” the agency said Thursday.

Heskett is facing charges of attempting to influence a public servant, tampering with evidence, false reporting to authorities, reckless endangerment, obstructing government operations and second-degree official misconduct. His bond has been set at $10,000, according to the Jeffco Sheriff.

“CPW appreciates the county sheriff’s professionalism and partnership in investigating this incident and will share additional information as this matter develops,” said CPW’s Assistant Director of Law Enforcement Ty Petersburg in a statement shared Thursday.

Affidavit details ranger’s statements to officers

local affiliate FOX31 obtained the arrest affidavit for Heskett on Thursday, which said the incident occurred on Old Mill Trail within the park.

The first deputy to arrive on scene described finding Heskett kneeling in a grassy area about 20 feet south of a service road west of the Lazy V Trailhead parking lot, holding a three- to four-inch pocket knife that appeared to have been impaled in his lower left abdomen.

Heskett said that he was traveling on the service road when he saw a man “hunched over near a tree,” and stopped to check on the man’s welfare. According to the affidavit, Heskett exited his vehicle and approached the man, who stood up and made an anti-police statement.

That’s when a fight ensued, Heskett alleged, and the man gained control of Heskett’s pocketknife and stabbed him with it.

Heskett radioed for help, another ranger arrived and drove him to the Lazy V Trailhead parking lot, and Heskett was airlifted to a hospital from there.

Investigators speak to Heskett during suspect search

While Heskett was at Saint Anthony’s Hospital, he told police and medical professionals that he had previously been employed as an officer with the Lafayette Police Department and had been run over while serving.

During initial conversations with Heskett, officers were told that the suspect punched the ranger once in the back of the head, and at one point, Heskett was able to create some distance and deploy his pepper spray, which he said caused the suspect to flee.

Heskett told law enforcement that after the suspect fled, he realized he had been stabbed.

Officers then asked Heskett for a DNA sample, which he consented to. A couple of minutes later, the affidavit reported, Heskett told officers the suspect had been wearing a black nitrile glove on his right hand. He said that because of this, he believed the attack on him was premeditated.

Heskett was then taken into surgery to remove the knife.

2 potential suspects identified, questioned and cleared

A pair of brothers was identified as potential suspects. They were taken to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and questioned, but ultimately were ruled out as suspects. Neither brother matched the physical description given of the suspect.

“Despite law enforcement being able to shut down Staunton State Park and meticulously search it, no one matching the description provided by Callum was contacted and/or detained,” the affidavit says.

With the assistance of nurses, investigators took photos of Heskett’s wounds, which included a nickel-sized bruise on his left wrist that was brownish in color, potential abrasions on his right knee and upper shin, and the horizontal knife wound that did not appear to have any hesitation or slash marks surrounding it.

Police, while reviewing body-worn camera footage from the first deputy at the scene, saw no dirt or grass on the back of Heskett’s shirt or pants. When investigators later asked Heskett about the fact, he “could not give an explanation for this,” according to the affidavit.

While investigating, police also obtained consent from Heskett to search his cellphone. Search history from his phone showed a series of searches looking at abdominal anatomy, “how deep are arteries in left lower q…”, “3.5 inch stab wound to left lower,” and more.