Laramie County Sheriff candidates Jeff Barnes and Brian Kozak have issued statements on a Monday night shootout in the Saddle Ridge area that left a suspect dead and a sheriff's deputy hospitalized.

You can read more about the incident here.

Barnes posted this statement on his campaign Facebook page:

Another tragic shooting tonight, with a deputy down and suspect deceased. Each day, our officers place their lives on the line to protect and serve the people of Laramie County and, after an incident such as this, we are not only reminded of how dangerous this line of work can be, but we are also extremely grateful for the work our officers do to keep our communities safe. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those involved.
Kozak posted the following statement on Facebook:
I am saddened to learn there has been another shooting with a death in our community, and a deputy sheriff has been injured. There are many people impacted by this incident that will need assistance in various ways. We need to show support for the deputy, deputy’s family, and law enforcement who continue to do a tough job. The neighbors who live near the incident will need someone to talk to and should reach out to law enforcement victim advocates to ensure assistance is made available to them. In time, we will learn more facts about the incident and respond to address the concerns of those impacted by this tragic event. We are Wyoming strong!
Barnes is running as an independent candidate in next week's general election, while Kozak is the GOP nominee. Democrat Jess Fresquez is also on the ballot.
Longtime Sheriff Danny Glick, who is a Republican, is retiring after several terms in office and did not run for re-election.

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