(PHOTOS) Gunslingers wrangle bank robbers, demonstrate trick shots during Cheyenne Day performance

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Local authorities thwarted two criminals who robbed a bank from escaping the scene with a bag of dough Wednesday in downtown Cheyenne.

Well, that’s close enough to what happened. A local band of longtime Western firearm enthusiasts, the Cheyenne Gunslingers, hosted a demonstration and skit at Gunslinger Square at the corner of 15th Street and Pioneer Avenue. As part of Cheyenne Day, the gunslinger show consisted of several trick shot exhibitions. Also, deception and shoot-outs arose during a bank heist melodrama performance.

The Cheyenne Gunslingers organization has existed since 1983, according to member Roger “Lucky” Barnes, who has been shooting with the group for nearly two decades. The group shoots blanks in their revolvers, which are still dangerous and must be handled with care, Barnes said. The group stresses to viewers the importance of safe, responsible firearm use.

The gunslingers act in melodramas based on various Wild West scenarios. On Wednesday, six of the group’s firearm aficionados played out a story where two criminals rob a bank, after which it’s up to the sheriff and judge to piece out what actually happened. The scenario ends in a classic shootout between the criminals and authorities.

The Cheyenne Gunslingers are playing everyday at noon and 6 p.m. at Gunslinger Square for the duration of Cheyenne Frontier Days. The organization will only be hosting a noon performance Sunday, July 28.