The man who shot a deputy multiple times last week in the tiny southern Wyoming town of Baggs had a stockpile of semiautomatic weapon ammunition and was likely planning a "large-scale act," the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office reports.
Sgt. Zachary Burns took bullets to the neck, arm and hip when he confronted the suspect outside his apartment near the southern edge of Baggs at about noon on June 8.
Responding to a report of an active shooter in the area, Burns located the suspect driving in town and conducted a traffic stop at his apartment, the CCSO has reported.
That led to Burns being shot, while the suspect retreated into his apartment, started a fire, then sped away in his car again, according to the CCSO. He was eventually killed in a shootout with law enforcement after crashing his car north of town off state Highway 789.
In the meantime, a pair of nearby Baggs residents rushed to Burns’ aid, likely saving his life, CCSO Sheriff Alex Bakken has previously reported.
Now it’s been revealed that Burns may have stopped something worse that authorities believe had been the suspect’s plan, Bakken says in an update on the investigation put out late Wednesday.
“Thanks to his bravery, (Burns) saved the lives of countless first responders and community members,” Bakken says in the report. “The gunman had stockpiled hundreds of AR-15 magazines in his apartment and, by all appearances, had been prepared to initiate a large-scale act of violence.”
The identity of the suspect isn’t being released pending the completion of an investigation by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Bakken told Cowboy State Daily in a text message.
As of late last week, Burns remained in critical but stable condition in a Colorado hospital.
Further updates of his condition “will be released at the discretion of the family, a condition which we should all be respectful of,” Bakken says in his Wednesday update.
Careful Who You Call A ‘Victim’
Along with more information about the suspect and what was found in his apartment, Bakken also confirmed that a Carbon County deputy was involved in shooting the gunman after his final chase with law enforcement.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol also reported last week that a trooper involved in that final confrontation was fired at and his patrol vehicle was hit. The trooper wasn’t hurt.
Bakken also called out the massive response from other law enforcement agencies to assist with the active shooter situation that day.
“Numerous agencies from northwest Colorado responded to assist due to their proximity to the incident and the fact that rural law enforcement in Western states is remote, difficult and dangerous,” he said.
“I am incredibly proud of and grateful to all the partner agencies that responded during our time of need,” the sheriff added.
Bakken also bristles at the reporting of an unnamed Colorado news outlet that referred to the suspect as a “victim.”
“The victim in this incident is Sergeant Zachary Burns, a man we are proud to call a member of our team who has served our local community with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office since 2015,” the sheriff said.
Bakken also again called out the “residents of Baggs who rushed out to render aid to Sergeant Burns (and) all of the community members who have come out in droves to support us.
“It all means far more than you will ever know.”
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
