Deputy shot by man in Baggs remains in ‘critical condition’

A Carbon County deputy remains in “critical condition” after being shot three times by a man in Baggs on Monday, Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken said in a Wednesday social media post. 

The deputy, Sgt. Zach Burns, responded to a report Monday afternoon of an armed man in Baggs near the Colorado state line. After finding the suspect’s truck, he initiated a traffic stop in front of a small apartment complex in Baggs, Bakken said. When the suspect stopped, he came out of his truck and opened fire on Burns with a semi-automatic rifle, striking Burns in the neck, arm and hip. 

The man, who was dressed in camo pants and had no shirt on, according to information relayed over dispatch at the time, then set fire to the apartment building before getting back into his truck and fleeing north on Highway 789, according to Bakken. 

Baggs residents rushed to aid Burns until medics arrived, Bakken said. Burns was airlifted to a trauma center in Colorado. 

The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was killed in a shoot-out with Carbon County deputies on Highway 789. 

Bakken posted another message Wednesday, offering ways to make contributions for Burns and his family. 

“We truly appreciate all of your support during this immensely difficult time,” the sheriff wrote. “It means more than you know.” 

Multiple agencies in Wyoming and Colorado responded to the report of shots fired. While responding to the incident, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper “was fired upon,” the agency stated on social media. The trooper’s vehicle was struck, but he wasn’t injured. 

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident.