Casper man shot while allegedly trying to identify officer's weapon

CASPER — The person shot and killed during an altercation with Casper police Thursday has been identified as a 26-year-old man who allegedly tried to take control of a police officer's firearm during an altercation with the police.

Trae Stewart Spurlock died after being shot by an unidentified Casper Police Department officer shortly after 9:30 p.m. as CPD responded to an apartment complex in the 5000 block of Pay It Forward Drive on a report state of domestic disturbance, reports the CPD.

While attempting to arrest Spurlock, he allegedly attempted to “gain control of a firearm” from an officer and was shot, the agency reports.

The Natrona County Coroner's Office has identified Spurlock as the man shot and killed that night, but says it has released no further information.

The office also refutes a Casper Star-Tribune article attributing information about the number of times Spurlock was allegedly shot, the type of ammunition used and other details about where he was shot to Spurlock's body.

Not from us

Natrona County Coroner's Office Senior Detective Taylor Jessee also told the Cowboy State Daily in an email Tuesday that details the Star-Tribune attributes to “a preliminary report from the coroner's office” did not come from from this office.

Jessee has also not confirmed or denied the reported information.

“The Casper Star Tribune absolutely did not get this information from us,” Jessee said in response to a public information request from Cowboy State Daily. “Our office has issued a press release which can be viewed on our website. No further information will be shared at this time.

That press release, dated Friday, names Spurlock as the person who died in the incident, but no other information about his death.

Because the Natrona County Coroner's Office denies publishing or releasing a “preliminary coroner's office report” containing more details about Spurlock's death, the Cowboy State Daily is not reporting those details because they cannot be officially confirmed.

“I won't confirm that, no,” said coroner James Whipps. “That information will come from DCI (Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation) when they are ready to release it.”

In accordance with CPD policy regarding officer-involved shootings, the agency asked DCI to take over the investigation.

At the DCI office in Casper, team leader Brad Reinhart declined to release any additional information Tuesday.

“I’m not going to confirm anything,” he said. “This is an active investigation and I will not confirm anything.”

Greg Johnson can be reached at [email protected] and Dale Killingbeck can be reached at [email protected].