Wyoming News Briefs

Man killed in shootout with Gillette police identified

GILLETTE (WNE) — Cody William Amman, 31, has been identified as the man killed in an officer-involved shooting Friday night in Gillette.

Amman allegedly fired at a Gillette police officer early Friday evening and in turn, the officer returned fire.

Amman was taken to Campbell County Memorial Hospital, but died of gunshot wounds at 10:41 p.m. Friday, Campbell County Coroner Paul Wallem said Monday morning.

It is unclear where Amman was wounded or how many times he was shot.

The number of shots fired in the exchange also was not disclosed by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, which is investigating the incident.

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Monday afternoon, Wallem said.

The exchange of gunfire followed a 911 report to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office at 4:21 p.m. of gunshots at a mobile home park near the 1500 block of East Second Street. When deputies arrived, Amman, who was said to be armed, had fled the area in a black and purple Nissan Acura, Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds said.

A Gillette Police officer later spotted the suspect’s car and began tailing it down Boxelder Road near the Chara Hills subdivision.

While being followed, Amman abruptly stopped, got out his car and began shooting at the officer, who has not been identified. The officer returned fire, hitting Amman. The officer was not hurt, but neither police nor DCI would release more details of what happened.

Teton officials seek to limit gatherings to less than ten

JACKSON (WNE) — Teton County residents may soon face COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings.

It wouldn’t be a return to the stay-at-home order the county had in the spring, but it is a step toward tighter measures.

The state’s current coronavirus health orders prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people. During his press conference Friday morning, Gov. Mark Gordon indicated that new, possibly more restrictive health orders are likely coming, but state guidance is so far unchanged.

Teton District Health Officer Dr. Travis Riddell said he felt it was time to take more drastic action, submitting a request to limit gatherings to fewer than ten people.

“I’m not willing to wait,” he said at Friday’s community update. “It’s time to make a move.”

The request will need approval from State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist, who has granted other variances, though often following wrangling over their wording. Riddell did not give an expected timeline for a decision from Harrist.

Riddell said he was worried about the community’s ability to manage the growing pandemic.

“These cases have totally overwhelmed the capacity of our state and local health departments,” he said. “They’ve overwhelmed the capacity of our schools to safely teach our children.”

As of Friday afternoon, Teton County had 41 new cases, bringing its active total to 175, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.

Application for new community college to be decided on Friday

GILLETTE (WNE) — Campbell County will find out Friday if its effort to form its own community college district will move on to the Wyoming Legislature.

The Wyoming Community College Commission will meet Friday morning to discuss and decide on whether to approve the Campbell County Commission’s application to create a new district centered around Gillette College.

“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know,” said Gillette resident Gregg Blikre, who is one of the seven Wyoming Community College commissioners voting on the application.

“We haven’t discussed it. We’ll discuss it in an open meeting on Friday the 20th,” he said. “Obviously, I believe that our town can support the college and I know that we can and we already have a college there. But I can’t tell you what the rest will do. I just can’t.”

It has been a long path involving many meetings with various organizations to get to this point.

Ultimately, if the commission approves Gillette College’s application, it will then be up to the Legislature to decide what happens next.

“My hopes are that they will agree that Gillette should have its own college district,” Blikre said, while acknowledging that he does not know how it will be received by the Legislature.

“I do believe that it’s imperative that they get the opportunity to take it up,” he said.

Commissioners to meet virtually after chair gets COVID

CODY (WNE) — With Park County Commissioner Chairman Joe Tilden testing positive for COVID-19, the commissioners will be meeting virtually at their meeting this week.

Tilden received the test and results Thursday, but believes he was exposed to the virus on Halloween, Oct. 31. He did not start feeling symptoms until Wednesday, but as of Thursday felt “just achy.”

“I was surprised it took that long,” he said.

Although it is rare, it can take up to 14 days for COVID-19 symptoms to appear.

Tilden said the rest of the commissioners and select officials who came close to him will be taking a 14-day quarantine, per recommendation from Park County Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin. Since Tilden has tested positive, he must stay in isolation for ten days.

Tilden said no other commissioners are experiencing symptoms at this time.

Those in attendance at the commissioner’s meeting Tuesday are advised to monitor themselves for symptoms. 

The distance from the commissioners to the speaking table is six feet, which means a viral disease could be contracted by anyone who spoke at the meeting.

Although there was about 20 members of the public who attended and spoke on Tuesday, only three county employees spoke from the table: Sheriff Scott Steward, Park County Planning and Zoning Director Joy Hill, and Planning and Zoning staff member Kim Dillivan.

Park County Clerk Colleen Renner also sits in close proximity to the commissioners and sits closest to Tilden.