Casper Woman Heard Gunshots, Opened Apartment Door To Find Body At Her Feet

Update 2:30 p.m.: This story has been updated to include more information from the Casper Police Department and Natrona County Sheriff’s Office, including one man died at the Foxhill Apartments shooting.

CASPER — A woman living in a southside apartment complex in Casper on Sunday said she heard gunshots and a plea for someone to call 911, then opened the door leading outside her building to find the body of a masked man at her feet with a gun in his hand.

Two people were shot in an upstairs apartment during “a confrontation in which there was an exchange of gunfire inside the apartment,” the Casper Police Department report in a Monday afternoon update of the incident.

One of the men, 20-year-old Anicio Kane Bernard of Casper, was killed and another adult male was transported to Banner Wyoming Medical Center with “an apparent gunshot wound,” the CPD reports.

The Casper police call log shows that officers were called to a reported shooting at Foxhill Apartments in the 1900 block of South Missouri Avenue at 6:51 p.m. Officers were responding there at 7:06 p.m. when more calls came for a reported shooting in the 100 block of South Washington Street.

The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Washington Street shooting, and reports a juvenile male with a gunshot wound was transported to the local hospital, then “later flown to Denver Children’s Hospital, where he continues to undergo serious medical care.”

A resident in the apartment on the floor below told Cowboy State Daily that she heard what she thought was gunfire in the apartment right above their kitchen as they were about to make dinner Sunday.

“We felt, like, 12 gunshots go off, but we weren’t for sure because they are always moving furniture, banging on the floor,” the woman, who asked not to use her name, said of the upstairs neighbors. “I peeked my head out in the hallway, and I heard a lady outside say someone needs to call 911.

“So, I ran out with my phone, and as soon as I opened the door there was one of the kids’ bodies right at my toes.”

More Information

Casper police report that a preliminary investigation shows that “numerous other individuals were present at the time of the shooting. They were all subsequently located and interviewed by police.”

The investigation remains active and the incident is “believed to be isolated.”

There was no information in the report about a possible motive for the shooting, who did the shooting and if any arrests have been made or suspects identified if it’s determined to be a criminal case.

Police also are asking if anyone has information about the shooting to contact pdinvestigations@casperwy.gov or call 307-235-8286. Reports can be anonymous.

Friends ‘Were Mad’

She said the victim still has a gun in his hand and “two other gentlemen were running toward me (after getting) off a dirt bike.” 

She said they checked on the victim because he was their friend and “they were mad.”

“They left, saying they were going to go and find the guy who shot him,” the woman said.

When police arrived, she said they were asked to go stand over at another building, and because the investigation continued until late in the evening, they left to get a hotel room.

She said she was not sure how many people were in the apartment above her, but it sounded as if there were several. 

She said people inside “allegedly jumped out the window and ran off.”

“There was one gal I saw that got arrested and there was a body also in the apartment above us other than the kid that was at my feet,” the woman said said. 

She estimated the victim outside was 22 or 23 years old, but she couldn’t see his face because he was wearing a ski mask.

Another Shooting

Meanwhile, at a house in the 100 block of South Washington Street on Monday, Angela Morgan pointed to a house across the street on the corner of South Washington and East 1st Street where she said the shooting there happened.

She said her family arrived home from a Mother’s Day dinner to find her home blocked off and police cars all around.

CPD says that “it was quickly determined” this and the other double shooting were unrelated.

Police tape stretched from her front yard flower trellis to the house at the corner. She said her understanding was that the shooting happened outside the home.

Morgan said her family has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years and there has never been a problem that she is aware of.

“It’s quiet normally,” she said.

Because of the strain on resources investigating multiple shootings at the same time, the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office has agreed to investigate the Washington Street incident.

The sheriff’s office reports that confrontation was between two friends, a 21-year-old man and 16-year-old boy, “which no malice between them.”

“There were several witnesses present, the shooter was immediately known to law enforcement when they arrived on scene, and investigators remain in contact with him.”

The shooting appears to have been an accident, the report says.

“Tragically, it appears this incident is the result of the mishandling of firearms,” the sheriff’s office reports.

Sunday’s shootings follow a police involved-fatal shooting of Jody Renee Cobia, 37, on April 28 on South McKinley Street in Casper; a fatal shooting of Jeremiah Reyes, 47, on March 8 in the 800 block of West 43rd Street; and a fatal shooting of 16-year-old Riley Sears on Feb. 12 in the 4000 block of East 8th Street.

The Wyoming Department of Investigation continues to investigate the Cobia shooting, and as of last week Casper police reported they are still investigating the Reyes case.

Luka Rasmussen, 18, has been charged and pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the Sears shooting and is awaiting trial.

Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.