Dead camper's family asks gunman to come forward

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. - One moment Glenn Martin was waiting to roast marshmallows with hisgrandchildren by a campfire and the next he was fatally struck by an apparent stray bullet.

That's the shocking scene described by Martin's family members during a news conference at theDouglas County Sheriff's Office Monday.

Martin, age 60, died after the bullet hit him Friday evening near the Rainbow Falls Park area of thePike National Forest, sheriff's officials said.

His daughter, Carlie, said her dad was talking with his son-in-law, Chris, by the campfire when hesuddenly slumped over.

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They asked him if he was OK and Martin simply said, "No."

Carlie said they didn't know whether he'd had a heart attack or was having a bad reaction to a beesting. They couldn't tell he'd been shot for a while.

Unsure what had happened and unable to use their cellphones in the mountains, Chris and Carlieloaded the stricken Martin into a sport utility vehicle and raced to meet first-responders. They keptcalling 911 until they were able to report the medical emergency.

Martin's grief-stricken family members wept as they described the sudden chaos of that night.

"It was done very quickly, very graphically -- in front of my children. They shouldn't have to losetheir grandfather," Carlie said, sobbing as she referred to her father's death.

Carlie's husband, Chris, said, "I lost my best friend. He was a good guy to look up to. I looked up tohim a lot."

Family members said they had heard distant gunshots a while before Martin collapsed. Theyreported the gunfire to a ranger, because using firearms is prohibited in that area of the nationalforest.

Now, the family is urging whoever fired the errant shot to come forward.

"It just happened. You never know when you're going to go. You can be sitting at a campfire waitingto roast marshmallows with your grandchildren talking to your son in law and you're just done,"Carlie said.

At this time, sheriff's officials said it appears that Martin was killed by an errant bullet fired by anunknown person. They do not believed it was intentional at this time. However, that has not beenruled out, sheriff's officials said.

The sheriff's office is asking for the public to help identify anyone who was in the area of RainbowFalls Park who may have been shooting a high-powered rifle.

Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Officetip line at 303-660-7579. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

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