Officer body camera footage released

In response to a public records request from a reporter not affiliated with the Independent Record, the Town of Thermopolis and the Thermopolis Police Department have released two videos containing officer body camera footage to us, their “local newspaper of record.”

A press release issued on Tuesday states, “The Town of Thermopolis and the Thermopolis Police Department remain committed to the protection and service of its citizens and transparency in all of its actions. In response to a recent Wyoming Public Records Act (WPRA) request, the Mayor and Chief of Police are releasing body camera footage related to specific incidents requested. The WPRA request was submitted by a reporter and pertained to an officer involved shooting in April 2023. Several other incidents, to which the same officer responded, were included in this request. The Town Council has carefully reviewed the request and has determined that the release of the body camera footage is in the public interest and aligns with our commitment to transparency.”

“The Town of Thermopolis will be releasing the body cam footage directly to its local newspaper of record, the Thermopolis Independent Record,” the press release explained.

According to the release, “Some faces and information have been blurred or muted to protect the privacy of individuals that may or may not be directly involved in the incident(s). Narrative and captions have also been included to increase understanding and transparency. All captions and narratives come directly from the investigation report(s) of the corresponding incident(s).”

The following body cam footage has been released:

Video 1: Critical Incident Brief - Officer Involved Shooting; Location: Canyon Hills Mobile Home Park, Thermopolis; Date of incident: 04/28/2023; Officer’s body cam requested: Sgt. Mike Mascorro; Description: Footage contains the shooting of Sgt. Mike Mascorro and the subsequent fatal shooting of Buck Laramore. Viewer discretion if strongly advised.

Video 2: Incident Brief – Arrest of Individual; Location: 600 Block of Fremont Street, Thermopolis; Date of incidnt: 01/12/2021; Officer’s body cam requested: Sgt. Mike Mascorro; Description: Footage contains the contact and arrest of an individual for public intoxication, disturbing the peace and violation of probation. Due to profane language viewer discretion is advised.

“Transparency is a cornerstone of our values,” stated Adam Estenson, Mayor of the Town of Thermopolis, Wyoming. “We believe open communication with our community is paramount and recognize the importance of sharing information that impacts public trust and safety. Releasing the body camera footage in response to the WPRA request demonstrates our dedication to accountability and transparency.”

For further inquiries or additional information, please contact investigating agencies or Adam R. Estenson, Mayor, Town of Thermopolis at mayor@totmayor.com or Chief Pat Cornwell, Chief of Police, at chief@totpolice.com

The Independent Record staff is in the process of uploading the videos to a YouTube channel. They will be presented in their entirety, exactly as they were provided to us. To find the videos on YouTube, search Thermopolis Independent Record officer body cam footage. Information on how to access the videos will also be provide on our website at thermopir.com and a link will be provided on our Facebook page.