Marvin Heemeyer: The Man Who Built The “Killdozer” To Destroy A Colorado Town
Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post/Getty ImagesPolice inspect Marvin Heemeyer’s “killdozer” after his infamous 2004 rampage.
In early 2004, a Colorado man named Marvin Heemeyer plowed through the town of Granby in a massive “killdozer.” During his rampage, he tore down 13 buildings and caused $7 million worth of damage. But despite the name of his vehicle and the fact that it held a .50 caliber rifle, a .308 semi-automatic, and a .22 long rifle, he didn’t actually kill anyone — except for himself.
When it comes to real-life vigilantes, Heemeyer stands alone. He didn’t have it out for one person in particular, but he was fueled by a years-long rage against the local zoning commission. In 2001, the city had approved the construction of a concrete plant, zoning the land next to Heemeyer’s for use.
For nine years, Heemeyer had used that same land as a shortcut between his home and his welding shop. He tried to have the property rezoned to prevent the construction of the plant, but he was rejected multiple times. Tired of losing bureaucratic battles, Heemeyer turned to drastic measures.
YouTubeMarvin Heemeyer taking out one of 13 buildings.
Heemeyer decided there was only one way to get revenge on the town that had wronged him. Modifying a Komatsu D355A bulldozer that he had purchased a few years prior, Heemeyer outfitted the vehicle with armored plates, covering the cabin, engine, and even parts of the tracks.
He mounted a video camera on the exterior of the “killdozer” for visibility — and covered it with 3-inch bulletproof plastic. Heemeyer also made sure that the cockpit inside the vehicle included two monitors so that he could observe his destruction from the inside. And he built three gun ports into the body of the bulldozer to stick his small arsenal out of.
On June 4, 2004, he sealed himself in the vehicle and went on a two-hour rampage through town — destroying stores, homes, Town Hall, and the concrete plant itself. Investigators later found that everything he demolished was somehow connected to his battle against the zoning commission.
While the governor considered authorizing the National Guard to take over, Heemeyer’s “killdozer” got stuck in the basement of a hardware store. After causing millions in property damage and disrupting gas services to City Hall, he had come to the end of his road — and shot himself in the head.
