Suspect In Four-Hour Armed Standoff In Cody Surrenders

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect the standoff has ended and add more observation from the scene.

CODY — A more than four-hour standoff between a man wanted on a warrant and police in Cody ended Wednesday when the man surrendered peacefully.

The standoff included multiple law enforcement agencies and, at one point, non-lethal shots fired at the suspect who had taken refuge in a vehicle in a residential area.

The Cody Police Department told Cowboy State Daily that the incident began at about 9 a.m., then when it escallated, the agency informed the public of a “critical incident” in the 2600 block of East Avenue on the northside of Cody at 10:30 a.m.

Officers were attempting to arrest a man on a warrant when he instead retreated into a vehicle, said CPD Lt. Juston Wead.

“Officers made contact with the suspect to arrest him on an active warrant,” said Wead about three hours into the incident. “He barricaded himself in his vehicle, and he is armed, so currently we're just trying to negotiate with him to disarm himself and come to a safer conclusion to the situation.”

Wead said the suspect’s primary residence is in Cody, but not at the address where the standoff happened. The suspect’s mother was at the scene speaking with officers while the standoff continued.

Throughout the incident, negotiators "had some communication with him, but it hasn't developed far enough to where he's disarmed himself,” Wead said. "We’re just trying to de-escalate the situation at the moment.”

At one point, the suspect stepped out of his vehicle and officers fired non-lethal rounds in his direction, Wead said, adding that no bullets were fired during the standoff.

At about 1:40 p.m., the man — who hasn't yet been identified by authorties — got out of the vehicle and gave himself up without further incident.

“The situation ended at 1:36 p.m. (when) the suspect approached officers with his hands up and was calmly taken into custody," Wead said.

Officers were observed leading a man in a white baseball cap from the property in handcuffs.

Stay Away

During the standoff, the police department advised residents in the area to shelter in place and for all others to avoid the area so emergency personnel could respond.

Near the scene, Cowboy State Daily observed a number of armed officers with the Cody Police Department, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol responded to the scene at 2599 E Ave. 

Many were carrying AR-15s, and one officer had a sniper rifle on a bipod.

At 11:33 a.m., several shots were fired. Later, Wead confirmed those were non-lethal rounds fired by police in the direction of the suspect.

After the shots, an officer over a loudspeaker repeatedly told the suspect he was "under arrest" and "to come out with your hands up." 

A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper confirmed the suspect, first name John, is a male wanted on an arrest warrant.

At one point during the standoff, a woman in vehicle tried to drive through the perimeter established by law enforcement. She then got out of her car and shouted at officers before leaving the scene.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available.

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.