UPDATE 4:30pm: Neighbors Devastated Over Killing Of Sheridan Police Officer
UPDATE 3:15pm: Suspect In Sheridan Cop Killing Was Squatting In Rental House
A man suspected of killing a Sheridan Police Department sergeant Tuesday reportedly shot at police from the two-story house Wednesday in which he’s been barricaded for 24 hours as law enforcement and tactical units from all around Wyoming pressured him to come out.
The shots sounded about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday.
“We have a third shot from the suspect,” said an agent on the Sheridan police scanner.
A Cowboy State Daily reporter monitoring activity on scene also heard three “pops.”
After a lull, agents discussed cycling agents through every few minutes to stave off the effects of the cold and the morning’s freezing rain.
Another pop resounded at 11:35 a.m., but it’s unclear if it was a gunshot, a gas projectile or another tactical deployment.
‘Senseless’
The suspect, William Lowery, 46, allegedly shot SPD Sgt. Nevada Krinkee to death Tuesday morning while Krinkee was trying to serve a trespass notice not far from the now-ongoing standoff.
SPD called the tragedy “senseless.”
Somber Valentines
Meanwhile, Krinkee’s SPD police cruiser and a growing collection of floral bouquets sat outside the police station Wednesday morning.
Unofficial reports indicate SPD Chief Travis Koltiska rolled the vehicle out onto the grass landscaping and tied a lone balloon to it in the middle of the night as Tuesday turned to Wednesday.
An 18-year-old girl who braved the cold in a black sweatshirt, Destiny Bringham, added a bouquet of her own to the row of flowers Wednesday morning.
“I placed them here because the police do a lot for us,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “I never thought this would have ever happened here – Sheridan of all places.”
Sheridan is a town of about 20,000 people, but has a relatively low crime rate per capita compared to other Wyoming towns.
At the corner of 5th and Val Vista streets where Krinkee was shot, two bouquets of pink roses, purple hydrangeas, white carnations, pink daisies and bachelor buttons lay on the ground under a light snow dusting.
How Big Of A Sway
Originally of Bozeman, Montana, Krinkee had served SPD for six-and-a-half years. He married his wife Karla on July 3, 2021, according to her Facebook page. Karla also works for the Sheridan Police Department.
The pair had welcomed a new baby about five months ago.
SPD hired Krinkee in October 2017, and he quickly rose to corporal the following year then became sergeant in April, 2022, the Sheridan Press reported.
The outlet wrote that Krinkee spent eight years in the U.S. Army as airborne infantry before that, and was tasked with guarding children going to and from school while he was deployed in Afghanistan.
“Some of the things I experienced overseas made me want to make a difference in my community,” he said during a 2018 interview with the Sheridan Press. “Now those kids can grow up and make a difference in their country, so I wanted to be able to do that but here in the United States.”
He marveled at “how big of a sway” law enforcement agents must carry within themselves: helpful and compassionate on the one hand, but able to control and react to violent situations on the other hand.
Earlier Coverage
‘Come Out The Front Door!’ Standoff With Suspected Sheridan Cop Killer Hits 24-Hours
Suspected Sheridan Cop Killer Remains Barricaded In House As Standoff Nears 24 Hours
Sheridan Police Officer Killed In Line Of Duty, Suspect Barricades Himself
‘Incredibly Saddening’: Wyoming Reacts To Killing Of Sheridan Police Officer
Sheridan Police Officer Shot And Killed, Suspect In Standoff With Law Enforcement
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com, Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com and Pat Maio can be reached at pat@cowboystatedaily.com.
