A Green River man sought in connection with two killings in a Green River bar fatally shot himself on Friday as police were attempting to take him into custody, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s officials announced.
Police said Friday that Douglas Wolf, 51, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as law enforcement tried to apprehend him at an occupied industrial building in Rock Springs.
Authorities had been trying to find Wolf since an incident that left two people dead and one wounded at the Embassy Tavern on Thursday night. Rock Springs police and Sweetwater County Sheriff’s deputies found him early Friday in the building in northern Rock Springs with a firearm pressed to his head. As officers tried to take Wolf into custody, he shot himself.
Police attempted life-saving measures and took Wolf into custody. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 11 a.m. Friday.
During the standoff, residents of the area were told to remain in their homes.
Texas resident Lynne Sharrock, who is visiting Rock Springs, had earlier told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that she and her family had been confined to their home Friday morning, which sits in the area where Wolf took refuge.
“We know that he is in this shop building…they haven’t heard a gunshot, so they do not know if he’s dead or alive,” Sharrock said. “He threatened there would be a shootout, apparently, if he came out. I think they are waiting it out, it’s been hours and those of us close by are now [allowed] to come out of the house until further notice.”
After the standoff ended, Sharrock said she saw authorities leave the area with Wolf.
Sharrock said she and her family began hearing noises in the area at around 3 a.m.
She said she was not necessarily worried about Wolf breaking loose from the building, but was concerned about being struck by a stray bullet should a shootout occur.
“I’m assuming that’s why they won’t let us go outside,” she said. “I’m not [worried] with all the law enforcement and everyone in this house is a hunter.”
Sharrock said there was a command center established at the local fairgrounds for law enforcement and emergency services.
The Green River Police Department announced on Friday that multiple law enforcement agencies in Sweetwater County were investigating the double homicide at the Embassy Tavern.
According to Green River Police Chief Thomas Jarvie, Green River police were called to the an area near the tavern on Thursday night when a reporting party told dispatchers a person had pointed a pistol at them.
As officers were responding to the call, another came in reporting an active shooter at the bar.
Officers arrived on scene to find two people dead and one wounded. The wounded person was taken to the Green River hospital, but the person’s condition was not disclosed.
