By Police1 Staff
CASPER, Wyo. — A Wyoming officer remains in critical condition after being shot multiple times in a shootout Sunday.
The Associated Press reported that Casper Police Chief Keith McPheeters identified the wounded officer Tuesday as 27-year-old Jacob Carlson, who was severely wounded after being shot in his legs, chest and back. McPheeters said the officer has undergone multiple surgeries and needed many units of blood over the past few days.
“We are proud of Jacob and the strength he exhibits in this critical fight, and we are awed and humbled by his obvious participation in the healing process,” McPheeters said in a statement. “Although Jacob has not been able to communicate with his family, we look forward to being able to make him aware of all that is being done on his behalf.”
On Sunday, police said Carlson and another officer were called to check on a vehicle in a vacant lot when a man fired at them. Officers returned fire and fatally shot the man, identified as 38-year-old David P. Wolosin.
Few details about the shooting were released. McPheeters said Carlson, an Army veteran who’s been with the Casper Police Department for three years, was wearing body armor at the time of the shooting, according to the Casper Star-Tribune.
On Tuesday, more than 500 people gathered to rally for the wounded officer. McPheeters thanked the community for their support and said the shooting has caused “a great deal of angst and anxiety” among officers in the department.
“There is an army of support that has mobilized,” McPheeters said.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. DCI commander Matt Waldock said investigations on officer-involved shootings typically take four to six weeks to complete.
A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for Carlson and his family.