February 4, 2026 |
Photo – Emergency lights – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Cheyenne Police Department will not seek outside assistance in the investigation into the death of Aiden Hall.
On Sunday, January 18, around 1:17 a.m., the Cheyenne Police Department received a report of a suspicious vehicle near the intersection of West 9th Street and Deming Drive on the city’s east side. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a maroon pickup truck that had struck a guardrail and began searching the surrounding area for the driver. During their search, they spotted a man running from the scene. After making contact with him, police determined he was the owner of the truck, 22‑year‑old Aiden Hall.
According to a Cheyenne Police Department media release, Hall showed signs of being intoxicated and admitted to having consumed alcohol that night. After removing a folding knife from Hall’s front pocket, officers handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a patrol car while they began a Driving Under the Influence investigation.
While in the back of the cruiser, Hall was able to move his hands to the front of his body, access a handgun concealed in his pants, and take his own life. Hall was born and raised in Rawlins before moving to Cheyenne and becoming an apprentice electrician.
Bigfoot99 reached out to the Cheyenne Police Department for more information about the incident. In an email response, Public Information Officer Alexandra Farkas‑Schulz wrote that any in‑custody death or critical incident is taken seriously. In such matters, the Cheyenne Police Department conducts a systematic review of the incident, along with applicable policies, training, and procedures. If the review identifies deficiencies, appropriate corrective action will be taken.
Public Information Officer Farkas stated that a review of body‑worn and in‑car camera footage clearly established the sequence of events and left no question as to what occurred. As a result, the matter is being handled as an internal administrative review by the Cheyenne Police Department. While the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation typically assists with criminal cases, this incident does not meet that threshold. Farkas added that this is standard practice across law enforcement agencies.
In the media release, Cheyenne Police Chief Mark Francisco wrote, “This is a tremendous loss for the decedent’s family and loved ones. Any in-custody death is a matter of deep concern for our department – this is never the intended outcome when officers respond to moments of crisis. Our officers approached this situation with patience and compassion, with the intent of helping the individual.”
When it comes to suicides, Public Information Officer Farkas wrote that the Cheyenne Police Department typically does not release public statements or camera footage out of respect for grieving families, to avoid causing additional harm, and to prevent suicide contagion. However, the department chose to make a statement in this case because it involved an in‑custody death, which triggered an internal administrative review.
