Jasen Scott Ramirez, 44

Douglas, Wyoming
June 30, 2016

Agencies: Wyoming Highway Patrol | Natrona County Sheriff | US Marshals Service Wyoming

Cause of death: Shooting


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Overview

A man in his mid-40s was shot and killed by law enforcement following his father's funeral outside of a church Thursday afternoon, according to local police and witnesses at the scene.

The man, who family members identified as Scott Ramirez, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the St. James Catholic Church in Douglas at approximately 3 p.m., prompting officials to place the city on lockdown. 

Ramirez' cousin, who asked not to be named, told the Budget that Ramirez was confirmed dead about 30 minutes after the shooting in the emergency room at Memorial Hospital of Converse County.

Following the incident, hospital officials, before hearing the patient's name, would not provide any information. Officials said that it was "against the law" to give patient status updates.

The Douglas Police Department confirmed that it was an officer-involved shooting, but would not say which department or agency was involved. Witnesses said the agents were undercover. 

A spokesman for the Douglas Police Department said investigators were on their way to the scene at around 3:30 p.m.

According to friends and family, the shooting occurred following the funeral of Ramirez' father, Joe Ramirez, who died last week. Family and close friends said that the two were "incredibly close."

The funeral started at 1 p.m.

Reneil Cisneros, a close family friend who lives in Casper who attended the funeral, said that she spotted the agents when she arrived. She arrived late and said there were three individuals parked near the church who looked out of place.

When she entered, she said she took a seat in the back. During the service, Ramirez sat near the front sobbing. She said he was too upset to take communion.

Following the funeral, she saw the agents again. She said she was getting ready to go over and talk to Ramirez and give him a hug, but then she heard shots, about seven of them.

She said she couldn't process what was happening. 

She looked over and saw him leaning on the car door. It looked like he was getting into the passenger side when he was shot, she said. She said he had been shocked with a stun gun, too. He appeared lifeless.

She estimated there to have been between 50 and 75 people present.

Family members were distraught at the scene.

"That was my dad!" Cisneros remembered Ramirez' son, who's in his 20s, saying. 

"Why would you do that?" she remembered another scream. 

"Get an ambulance!" yelled another.

Cisneros couldn't make sense of the incident on Thursday, either. 

"He was a friend to everyone," she said, adding that he was "goofy" and liked to "joke around." 

She said he had run into trouble with the law, had served time in prison recently, but that "he was a good guy, a sweet heart." She said he was trying to get his life together. He had a brother and a sister.

The Budget corroborated many of the details with six family members and friends who were present for the funeral, most of whom did not want to be named.

Family members said Ramirez had warrants out for his arrest, but that he was unarmed and had nothing in his hands at the time of the shooting.

Law enforcement did not confirm any of the family member's statements.