Police shot and killed a man while serving a search warrant Sunday night at his Casper home, authorities said Monday.
Officials identified the man as 27-year-old Christopher Benton. He died at the scene.
Officers entered Benton’s home and “encountered an armed male presenting lethal force toward the officers,” according to a statement from Police Chief Jim Wetzel that was released late Monday afternoon.
Benton’s actions led to an officer firing at him, the release states. Benton died from gunshot wounds.
The search warrant was based on allegations of distributing and trafficking drugs and illegal gun possession, Wetzel said.
No officers were injured during the shooting. A police spokesman said Monday he wasn't sure how many officers fired their weapons during the incident.
Casper police have asked the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation to look into the shooting. Phone calls to DCI by the Star-Tribune went unreturned Monday.
Wetzel said the police department will also conduct an internal investigation to ensure the officers’ actions were in accordance with department policies.
The officers directly involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation, as is standard practice following police shootings.
The release did not say how many officers were placed on leave. Nor did it specify the type of lethal force that Benton allegedly displayed toward officers.
“While the investigation by DCI is still underway, as the facts and circumstances have been relayed to me, I commend the professionalism and conduct of our officers involved in this tragic incident,” Wetzel said.
He asked that everyone remain patient as the shooting is investigated.
Police said the shooting took place just before 8 p.m. Sunday on the 1600 block of Kit Carson in a working-class neighborhood just east of the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.
Authorities removed the man's body from the home at about 11:20 a.m. Monday and placed it in a coroner's pickup, which was parked in the driveway. An autopsy will be conducted later this week, according to the coroner's office.
The entire yard and home were blocked off by crime tape. An officer and a Natrona County sheriff's deputy were at the scene, along with people in civilian clothes who appeared to be handling evidence.
A woman who lives across the street from the home said she heard four to five gunshots around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Denise Mestas said when she and her mother looked out the window, they saw several police cars and officers outside.
"They all had their guns pointed toward the house," Mestas said. "They were huge guns, machine-type guns."
The gunshots sounded like they had come from outside the house, she added.
Mestas didn't hear anything for about an hour. Then, between 8:30 and 9 p.m., she saw a SWAT team enter the home. She heard yelling and what she believed were more gunshots, Mestas said. When the SWAT team members reappeared, they started wrapping crime tape around the home.
Mestas said she never spoke with Benton. It appeared that at some point a woman with children also lived at the house, she added.
People came and went from the home all the time, Mestas said.
(40) comments
Coming soon to your neighborhood militarized police, after watching the news last night and seeing and overwhelming police presence in this neighborhood all caring automatic assault weapons, an assault vehicle with what looked to be a 50 caliber automatic weapon mounted on top we the American public are simply screwed. Land of the free and home of brave has sadly went to the past.
Police use automatic assault firearms when needed. Thank you Casper Police Department for protecting the city and it's citizens!
I am almost sure that this was reported incorrectly. They may have Assault rifles but they are not Automatic. Automatic rifles require a very special license and it is rare to find someone with one. I would bet these are actually semi-auto rifles, but are black and look like the ones the military use.
If you don't think the Casper PD have automatic weapons, yer sadly mistaken. I know a local gunsmith who does repairs and tune up work on their automatic weapons...
WyoJeff, thank you for the correction....I hit enter as I read my typo.
Hammerslammer - Interesting. I will ask a couple cops I know. Any idea what weapon they have that is fully Auto?
Takes a special person to identify the rate of fire of a firearm from watching a newscast.
Just a gang of trash killers that's all they are
I just hope that the guy was not black------or Al Sharpton will bring his crew here and start marching!!
Hopefully they find out who you are.....
The young man shot and killed just happens to be one of my twin nephews. Do you all know what happened that made it all come down to this? If not, please be respectful when commenting. We are his family, and we love him. Thank-You
I am very sorry for your family's loss.
and if you all are not smart enough to see that our Police Department has become militarized you deserve what you get
If you shoot at the police you will probably get what you deserve.
Militarized? It's called the SWAT team. Special Weapons and Tactics teams are law enforcement units in the United States that use specialized or military equipment and tactics. Pretty sure they have been "militarized" for many many years AND we and all cities need them.
The police are doing their job, and if someone wants to resist the presence of a police officer then they are more than likely up to no good. You can bet that if someone poses a threat to anyone, even the police, that threat should be met with deadly force. It's sad when someone's choices leeds to their demise. I agree with the actions of the CPD. It's too bad that the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the law abiding citizens of Casper can't do so without the ignorant comments from people who just need something to complain about.
Nice that you know all the facts and can say well done when this isn't even investigated and the crime tape has just been set up. How do you know they used proper force? Could children been in the house? Did they have to kill him instead of wound, or even taze? Before such sad thing to comment as Good Job you got him, I just wish people would step back and think "He could be a father, brother or you and how would my family feel before you throw salt into a wound of a loved one dealing with a loss. How would you feel. Wyoming just got colder!!
Sadly, Casper has become a "hotbed" of crime. Chalk this up to the growth that so many promote....
Well unless the cops had the wrong house and person I don't see what the problem is?? Looks like we saved some taxpayers some money.
You have to wonder if the cops just broke down the door and went in like it was an armed bunker. Maybe the guy had reason to shoot at them. The cops kill more people anymore than is probably necessary, with some intelligent fore thought the killing may have been prevented.
You are entirely correct. An intelligent person would not shoot at police and expect them not to fire back. An intelligent person who was a felon, I know that's a bit of a contradiction there, would not possess a firearm in clear violation of the law.
^^Exactly, limbaugh. 70cs, it doesn't matter if they "broke down the door and went in like it was an armed bunker." They had a search warrant. That's how raids work. The suspect was a convicted felon and could not possess a firearm in the first place. If he had not been engaged in criminal activity nor been in possession of a firearm, all of this could have been avoided.
So thankful for all the "Intelligent" information form you and lushbum.
Let's see cause maybe this is the bad guy their going after. I suggest they send people like you in first and arrest the guy. If you don't come back out in say five minutes they can come in guns a blazing! Hows that for a solution to your negotiations.
How about you posting something intelligent, of course the one cell is challenged girl.
Police Chief Jim Wetzel said "I commend the professionalism and conduct of our officers involved in this tragic incident,”. I'm not weighing in on what happened until more facts come out (unlike all y'all) but I just wanted to say that the word 'tragic' is so over-used. Not every situation rises to the level of tragedy.
Those three pictured are evidence techs? They certainly don't look professional. Is this how the City of Casper wishes to be portrayed?
Your name says it all! Sometimes they use UNDERCOVER!
I think the one and only question is: Why was a non-fatal strike not feasible and/or not sufficient? Condolences to the young man's family. My thoughts are also with the Casper police who may have felt they could not act otherwise if that was the case. This is a terrible situation.
You watch to much TV
You're dumb. I never have time to watch TV.
Have you never heard the saying "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight"? Only an uneducated and ill-informed public could ever think responding to deadly force with non-deadly force is ever a good option.
Thanks CPD for taking out the trash
What a cold cruel thing to say I just hope you are given the same when someone you know dies. This is America ans we are innocent till proven guilty I thought, so You convict with no idea what your commenting on. And you say such trash. Just remember your words Sunday when you ask to be forgiven for them, but the hurt they cause will take a long time to heal.
I didn't convict anyone. What about Sunday?
So, Was he armed with a firearm?? Did he point it at uniformed officers who had announced their presence and their authority prior to entering the home? Why would the police leave that bit out and dance around the head of a pin? Ask the questions CST and get the full story.
Smells like a coverup of a poorly served search warrant?! Lots of publicity and information about how professionally law enforcement acted, and the victims previous criminal acts, and that he was "armed" ; but very little information (facts) on what happened. Who issued that search warrant, on what information, why the military style presence? Wyoming's citizens deserve better communication from our law enforcement and judiciary.
Wyoming needs a citizen review committee....to review these things. Remember when the DCI put an undercover agent in our schools, and then paid the untrained informant, Kevin Carter alias Kyle McCurdy, to videotape sex acts with underage students in Pinedale and Lyman...not too many years ago....and the same kind of misinformation...and lack of information. Even the Gov and AG fibbed on that one....and the mastermind, Jim Anderson esquire continues to be licensed to practice law (for the Feds!)...a disgrace for our state.
This is for the "shoot to wound" nimrods out there. Let's put you with a pistol in a lion cage and you "shoot to wound". Then tell us all how that worked out.
It is also breathtakingly stupid to expect police to wait until the suspect actually fires his weapon to use deadly force. If you wait that long it is already too late.
I am glad the Police are shooting people dead. Most people, like Whitney Houston's daughters, are hopped up on CRACK COCAINE, and need to be killed. The officer did a good job killing this guy, and the officer should be given an award for the killing. Keep up the good work guys, and try to get a black guy next time. Good job !
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