Casper Youth Urged To Choose Peace In Wake Of Shooting Tragedy, GoFundMe Established

On the night of May 12th, a 20-year-old man was shot and died from his injuries in an apartment on South Missouri Avenue in Casper.

Police arrived to the scene at 6:50 p.m. after callers reported hearing gunshots and a disturbance.

When they got there, they found one man with a gunshot wound outside the building and another, Anicio Kane Bernard, also with a gunshot wound, inside the apartment. Both men were taken to the hospital.

The Casper Police Department said Bernard succumbed to his injuries. The other man was in critical condition.

A preliminary investigation reveals that the incident was the result of a confrontation that led to the exchange of gunfire inside the apartment.

"Numerous individuals were present at the time of the shooting, they were all subsequently located and interviewed by detectives," wrote the CPD in a statement issued to the public.

The investigation is ongoing and active.

A GoFundMe for the Bernard family was organized yesterday to assist with medical expenses and funeral costs.

Attached to the GoFundMe is a message from the Bernards that reads:

Our son wasn’t a perfect person, and he didn’t always make the best decisions. But he was so very loved by his entire family despite any of his flaws. Añicio was given the tools, the guidance and the love he needed to succeed, unfortunately Añicio couldn’t get himself out of the lifestyle he was in. He always expressed to us that wanted to change, he wanted to grow, he wanted to be successful but he just couldn’t find his way out. He was seeking guidance through god, he was praying and he was truly trying. He recently got his drivers license and a job and he was so proud of himself and we were so proud of him too! We wish he could have made it out and got to experience what life is like without the darkness he was surrounded by. He had so much potential, he was a good person with a good heart, he was just lost. We will forever miss our son.

To all of the youth/young adults in our community please, take this as a learning lesson. Please for the love of god, CHOOSE life. You all have the opportunity to change your lives for the better, to put the guns away, to walk away from the darkness and to live and experience life. There is so much more to life than what you all are choosing to do. And if you choose to stay in that lifestyle just know, this is the end result, there is no other way out. Please make the change while you’re still here so your families aren’t left behind to pick up the pieces when you’re gone.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, stopped by, sent prayers, donated or brought meal. We appreciate you all more than you know. The tragedy of losing our child has changed our lives forever and it’s something we hope none of you will ever have to experience.

Thank you again,
-Bernard Family