Minor killed at Casper mall

CASPER (WNE) — A minor is dead following a stabbing just before noon Sunday outside Eastridge Mall in Casper.

“The two people most directly involved are in custody,” police lieutenant Scott Jones said, adding that additional individuals who may have been involved have been identified, questioned and may face “further action.”

The victim, who is under the age of 16, will not be publicly identified until after an autopsy is performed Tuesday by the Natrona County Coroner. He died shortly after law enforcement arrived, Jones said.

Jones, who has three decades of experience with the Casper Police Department, said he could not recall a similar incident and said the mall is not a particular hot spot of youth trouble.

“In my time in law enforcement, this doesn’t happen. We’ve been seeing an increase in frequency and severity [of youth crime] over the last several years. Just an unfortunate trend of our times.”

On Monday morning, police increased their presence at local schools in response to threats related to the incident on social media.

“Someone sent out a … social media posting making a threat on behalf of one of the people involved,” Jones said. “Because of that we have been inundated with concerns from students, faculty, staff, parents with kids in school.”

Despite the department determining the threats pose “no immediate threat,” Jones said the department would increase the number of officers patrolling near schools in addition to the existing school resource officers.

Despite the increased police presence, many parents pulled their children out of school Monday morning, leaving classrooms at some schools nearly empty.

Eastridge Mall Manager Tammy Ito said she had been instructed not to address the incident as the investigation was ongoing. The mall’s owner, Kohan Retail Investment Group, did not return a call for comment by presstime.

This story was published on April 9, 2024.