The Casper Police Department has released dashcam footage of a deadly police-involved shooting from early July, and several chase events that led up to the shooting.
Video of the press conference is posted below. The video released by Casper Police officials can be found here: Police dashcam footage of July 10th chase and police involved shooting
On July 10, 2018, at approximately 5:30 am, CPD officials say that the Public Safety and Communication Center received multiple 911 phone calls from the 500 block of Granite Drive, Casper. Multiple callers reported that a male subject had pointed a firearm at several individuals.
Officers from the Casper Police Department are said to have immediately responded. Prior to officers arriving on scene, it was reported that the male suspect fled the area in a vehicle. A vehicle description was provided to local area law enforcement.
Once officers arrived on scene, through interviews, they confirmed that the male suspect had reportedly threatened several individuals by pointing a firearm at them.
At approximately 5:45 am, local area law enforcement located the suspect vehicle, which fled from offices and eluded them.
The suspect vehicle again was located at 06:15 am driving in Evansville, WY. Local area law enforcement attempted to pursue the vehicle as it entered back into Casper, WY. The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed on East 2nd Street, traveling towards the downtown area.
Supervisors from the Casper Police Department advised officers not to pursue the vehicle as the driver was placing the public in danger.
At approximately 6:30, officers report that an off-duty deputy from the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office advised the suspect vehicle was parked at the Smith’s Express store, formerly Loaf and Jug, on the corner of CY Avenue and Kit Carson.
An officer from the Casper Police Department immediately responded to the location, arriving at approximately 6:30 am.
A statement from the CPD says that immediately after his arrival, the officer contacted the male suspect who had a firearm, and an officer-involved shooting ensued.
The male suspect received life-threatening injuries.
The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Officer Craig Burns.
“Officer Burns, in full uniform and driving a marked police vehicle, had not yet started his workday at the time of the incident” police officials said in the written statement. “[he] was driving to work to attend his Team’s daily briefing when, having been monitoring the radio, he responded directly to this inherently dangerous incident.”
The Natrona County Coroner named 21-year-old William T. McCollum, as the deceased in a police shooting.