An officer-involved shooting unfolded at the Wind River Hotel and Casino south of Riverton on Sunday evening, killing a fugitive from another state who was reportedly suicidal and homicidal, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says.
Both a Fremont County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper fired their guns, says a statement the sheriff’s office released Monday afternoon.
Law enforcement officers from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Wind River Police Department and Wyoming Highway Patrol converged at the casino at about 7:15 p.m., after an out-of-state law enforcement agency asked for help.
The statement doesn’t say which state’s agency requested assistance.
The agency requested help in finding a suspect who fled its jurisdiction after allegedly committing acts of domestic violence, stalking, and threats of violence, the statement says.
“The person in question was also listed as a missing person out of the requesting state and cautioned as being both suicidal and homicidal,” it adds.
The Wind River Police Department was contacted first. The agency is the Wind River Indian Reservation-based outpost for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federal agency.
Confrontation In Casino
The casino sits on the Wind River Indian Reservation's border near Riverton.
But WRPD generally does not process suspects who are not tribal members. The sheriff or other state authorities retain jurisdiction over non-tribal members even on the reservation, generally.
This suspect wasn’t a tribal member or of Native American descent, says the statement, so the sheriff’s office and WHP responded, keeping WRPD agents on scene.
Police found the suspect in a hotel room in the casino.
“Several minutes after the initial contact a confrontation occurred with the subject,” the statement reads. A deputy and trooper both discharged their firearms.
No citizens or law enforcement officers were injured, but the suspect died on scene “despite lifesaving measures,” says the statement.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating this incident.
The officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, the statement says, adding that “no further information will be released” while the investigation is conducted.
DCI did not immediately respond to a voicemail request for comment.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
