Craig city officials have identified the victim allegedly shot by a Craig police officer in late April.

Craig police officer Dalton Caudell allegedly shot Craig resident Troy Wade Curtis Jr., 36, the morning of April 26, according to Craig City Attorney Heather Cannon.

The victim’s identification came Monday, over two weeks after the April 26 shooting.

At approximately 8:43 a.m. April 26, Craig police officers responded to a report at the address of a male subject allegedly armed with a handgun, according to a news release issued later that day by Craig police.

The initial call to law enforcement was made regarding suicide threats, according to the Colorado State Patrol incident log filed April 26.

“Shots were exchanged between the subject and law enforcement,” the April 26 release from Craig police stated. “The subject was struck during the exchange, and officers immediately rendered medical aid until paramedics arrived on scene.”

On April 28, Police Chief Mike Cochran said the Craig Police Department was not involved with the investigation related to the shooting, per Critical Incident Response Team protocol, and directed all questions regarding the shooting to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office, the agency conducting the investigation.

The 14th Judicial District’s Critical Incident Response Team is an independent, multi-agency group responsible for conducting “thorough and impartial investigations into critical incidents involving law enforcement” in Moffat, Routt and Grand counties.

On May 6, Grand County Sheriff’s Office Communications Director Erin Opsahl stated that the “Craig Police Department will remain primary for any releases when appropriate, and our office has been directed to return any correspondence back to them.”

The newspaper contacted Cannon, Craig’s city attorney, and Craig City Manager Peter Brixius for further information regarding the shooting after Craig police had stated in a news release that the victim’s name would not be released to “protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.”

On Monday, officials altered their course, however, and released Curtis Jr.’s name.

“At this time, the city has determined that pursuant to Colorado law it is able to release the subject’s name, as requested by your publication …,” wrote Cannon in a Monday morning email.

Cannon further directed questions about the shooting to 14th Judicial District Attorney Matt Karzen, adding that the district attorney, “has requested that all future requests for information be made directly to his office so he can ensure consultation with the (Critical Response Incident Team) stakeholders as to maintain the integrity of the investigation.”

While the Critical Incident Response Team is leading the investigating of the shooting; Karzen’s office is in charge of prosecuting any related cases

As of Monday afternoon, no charges had been filed in relation to the shooting.

In an email to the newspaper on Monday, Karzen noted that the investigation could take anywhere from several weeks to several months.

“Our goal is accuracy and truth and an appropriate legal outcome, and while completing the process sooner than later is preferable, that must be secondary to the integrity of the process and getting the legally correct outcomes,” the district attorney said.

Karzen added that he would “consult with the Critical Incident Response (team) and see if we can release anything else while things progress.”

According to property records, Curtis owns the home at 730 Ashley Road, where the shooting allegedly took place.

Following the incident, he was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Craig where he was stabilized before being flown to another medical facility for further treatment, according to police.

Although city officials have now identified Curtis Jr. as the victim and Caudell as the officer who allegedly shot him, no further information about the shooting or Curtis Jr’s condition was provided as of Monday afternoon.

Caudell remains on administrative leave as the investigation continues. He is also named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit against officers who allegedly used deadly force to run over a Craig man with a vehicle in 2023, according to a court order filed in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.