Wounded Casper Police Officer Carlson Leaves Hospital
This is the news the entire city has been waiting to hear for over a month now.
After a violent shootout, hovering near death for days, and a month of agonizing surgeries, Officer Jacob Carlson has been released from the hospital.
Carlson was, of course, gravely wounded in a shootout on May 6th, and the city of Casper has rallied behind him and his family as he recovered.
Today, came the official announcement from the Casper Police Department.
Update on Officer Jacob Carlson 6/12/18
With great pride, joy, and gratitude, the Casper Police Department announces that our hero, Officer Jacob Carlson, has been released from the hospital and is continuing his ongoing recovery in the comfort of home. Incredibly, only 37 days have elapsed since the events of May 6, 2018. Jake’s release from the hospital has come much earlier than we could have ever hoped.
We are especially grateful for the miraculous preservation of Jake’s life and we firmly believe that the thoughts, prayers, and goodwill of our citizens and supporters from across the nation played a meaningful role in his survival. Additionally, we acknowledge the unbelievable speed with which his recovery has progressed. We believe this demonstrates for all to see Jake’s personal strength of will, his fighting spirit, and his dedication to the citizens of Casper.
We cannot express enough our thanks to the community of Casper, the staff and medical professionals at Wyoming Medical Center, and the many law enforcement agencies that have provided assistance to Jake, his family, and to the Casper Police Department. There have been so many acts of kindness and support on Jake’s behalf that we could never list them all in this statement, but we still express our gratitude and thanks to all who came forward with help and support.
The Carlson family still has faces a long recovery and requests their privacy as Jake continues the healing process.
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Police Chief Keith McPheeters announced Carlson's homecoming to the Casper City Council during its work session Tuesday.
"Officer Jacob Carlson has been released from the hospital today; he's home," McPheeters said.
"It goes without saying that it's flat-out miraculous," he said.
"His post-incident recovery has been far accelerated faster than anybody's dreams. I visited with him in his home this afternoon, and he's comfortable, resting and grateful to be out of that hospital bed.
"He still faces significant challenges, but I thought it was important that you and the city staff know that we've had a really good day in the police department today," McPheeters said.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation continues to investigate what he called a complex matter, and would not speculate when the DCI's work would be finished, he said.