Laramie County sheriff bodycam footage of Halloween 2022 shooting that killed suspect, injured deputy
By: It’s been nearly a year since Laramie County Sheriff’s Office deputies engaged with, shot and killed 55-year-old James Albert Templeton Jr.
Body camera footage released late Thursday night shows the confrontation, which resulted in a shootout that also injured a deputy. The video, posted to YouTube and available below, is hosted by Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak, who recounts the events of Oct. 31, 2022.
Shortly after the shooting, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office said it had been seeking the suspect killed in a standoff with deputies for several months. Deputies had been attempting to serve a warrant at the residence on the 6900 block of Horse Soldier Road around 7:57 p.m. Halloween night when the shooting occurred.
In the days after the shooting and again in the video, Kozak said Templeton had multiple felony warrants, including a felony kidnapping warrant with full extradition from Jefferson County, Colorado. He had also been charged with strangulation of a household member in Laramie County, and had a third warrant issued by the Denver Police Department for a charge of failure to register as a sex offender.
Kozak also said in the video that Templeton was handing out candy to children in the Saddle Ridge neighborhood that night.
Deputies concerned for the safety of trick-or-treaters set up surveillance of the suspect. After additional deputies arrived and nearly two hours later, deputies saw no more trick-or-treating children and attempted to make contact with Templeton, Kozak said.
While the primary deputy waited by the front door for other deputies to get in place, Templeton came out. The video picks up where deputies are running to assist the primary deputy at the front door.
Deputies are seen yelling orders at Templeton, but Templeton retreats into the home. A woman, identified as the victim in the strangulation case, is removed from the home, and Templeton was heard saying, “OK, OK.”
The video then switches to footage captured by the primary deputy’s body cam. Deputies are heard telling Templeton he will be Tased. Eventually they make it inside, confronting Templeton, who is seen making a motion as though he’s pointing a gun. A gunfight breaks out in which both Templeton and the deputy are shot.
Deputies retreat outside. Kozak said Templeton got a rifle and waited for law enforcement to enter again, but died of his injuries sustained in the gunfight.
An investigation by the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations revealed Templeton had made earlier statements that he would shoot law enforcement if they came to his door, Kozak said.
It was also found that the deputy, who has since resigned from law enforcement due to the injuries sustained that night, acted within policy, the sheriff said.
Kozak said the previous sheriff’s office administration was not transparent with the facts of that night, and so he has appointed a full-time public information officer and created policy to allow for timely updates around such situations.