GREEN RIVER — The shootout that occurred between a 33-year-old Green River man and Green River Police Department (GRPD) officers on July 6 is still under investigation by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (WDCI).
Despite the investigation being active and ongoing, the GRPD was able to share with SweetwaterNOW that a total of four officers were involved in the shooting.
“Initially, one Green River Police Department officer initiated the traffic stop and three other Green River Police Department officers arrived on scene for back up,” GRPD Public Information Officer Jamie Green said. “Additional officers, detectives and personnel from other agencies subsequently responded to assist.”
As per standard protocol for the GRPD, Green confirmed the four officers have been placed on Administrative Leave.
“This is standard procedure after an officer-involved shooting,” Green said.
It is also standard protocol for investigations of incidents like this one to be turned over to the WDCI.
“The end goal is to determine, document and properly understand the facts involved with the incident to the greatest extent possible. We will continue to cooperate with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation throughout the investigation,” Green said.
Ronnie Jones, Commander Region 2 (Evanston, Afton, Rock Springs, Rawlins, Laramie, Cheyenne and the Wyoming Information Analysis Team) said the GRPD asked them to conduct the investigation and that they are “right in the middle of it.”
Jones said each case is unique so the timeline for the investigation is unknown, however, WDCI is working on it.
“We have all of our available people working on it. We do know people want results and that’s what we do,” Jones said.
About the Incident
The shooting took place on July 6 after an officer tried to conduct a traffic stop at around 10:45 p.m. The police department received a call just prior to the traffic stop concerning a person who had left the area of FMC Park after threatening others with a gun.
As the officer was receiving this information, a vehicle matching the description given by the caller passed by the officer’s location. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle on Barnhart Street near Uinta Drive.
The driver initially refused to exit the vehicle and then began firing a weapon at officers who returned fire. The suspect was shot after shooting at the officer, and was taken to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County before being transferred out of state for medical treatment.
GRPD and WDCI will release more information as it becomes available.
