Man fatally shot by Cody police after pursuit
POWELL (WNE) — A 22-year-old man was shot and killed by Cody police Monday night after he allegedly led officers on a pursuit and then “advanced toward” them with a knife.
The deceased, Lucas JamesErick Alvesteffer, had previously lived in Cody and Michigan, but had more recently been living in Gillette, records show.
The Cody Police Department said the encounter began at 8:02 p.m., when an officer attempted to pull Alvesteffer over. Court records show Campbell County authorities had been seeking Alvesteffer’s arrest for months. Prosecutors allege he battered his fiance in March and then failed to show up for an April sentencing hearing related to previously battering her.
However, police say those warrants didn’t factor into Monday’s shooting: Cody Police Lt. Juston Wead said his department didn’t learn Alvesteffer’s identity until after the incident was over; Wead said an officer initially tried to stop the truck because he’d noticed it had no registration.
Alvesteffer reportedly refused to pull over. He eventually made his way onto the Greybull Highway (U.S. Highway 14/16/20E). After his truck evidently broke down, Alvesteffer failed to respond to officers’ commands to exit the vehicle, according to Cody police, so they “cautiously” approached and opened the passenger side door.
Alvesteffer continued to be “non-compliant,” so an officer reached into the vehicle from the passenger side to detain him, police said. “Alvesteffer produced a knife in an aggressive manner,” according to a news release. As the officer began to retreat, Alvesteffer “started to exit the vehicle and advanced toward the officers.”
One of the Cody police officers — not the one who’d reached into the vehicle — then shot Alvesteffer, Wead said.
An ambulance was dispatched at 8:17 p.m., but Alvesteffer died at the scene. No officers were injured.
The Cody officer who shot Alvesteffer has been placed on paid administrative leave, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident.
This story was published on July 31, 2025.