CASPER, Wyo — The victim of multiple gunshots is in “critical but stable condition” and a suspect is in custody following a shooting incident in Lovell Sunday morning, according to a release by Lovell Police Department Chief Dan Laffin.
In the early morning hours shortly after midnight Sunday, Dec. 20, Lovell police responded to the 400 block of Nevada Ave after a 911 call reported a “gunshot victim that sustained multiple gunshot wounds from an individual assailant.”
Lovell Police and North Big Horn Hospital (NBHH) ambulance and medical personnel arrived within minutes and provided life saving medical care.
“Multiple shots were fired with several of them striking the victim at close range,” Chief Laffin said.
The victim was treated at NBHH and flown to a medical facility in Billings, Montana for additional emergency treatment.
The suspect had fled the area prior to police arrival.
“The information provided to this agency, at the time of this release, advised that the victim is in critical but stable condition,” Laffin wrote in the release filed at 8:50 am Sunday.
Through “exceptional communications” and immediate interagency operations, the suspect was located and captured in Park County and is now in custody. The suspect faces multiple felony charges and may face additional criminal charges as the investigation continues, the release said.
The suspect and victim were known to each other, Laffin said.
“There is no threat to the citizens of Lovell or the surrounding communities,” he added.
“This investigation is ongoing therefore the public release of information will be closely controlled to ensure that the prosecution is not compromised,” Laffin said, and added, “We ask that you keep the victim and his family in your thoughts and prayers.”
“Several agencies provided exceptional support to the Lovell Police Department to ensure this assailant was captured: The Park County Sheriff’ Office, the Cody Police Department, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
The exceptional teamwork and coordination led to the suspect’s arrest within hours of the incident.Lovell Police Chief Dan Laffin
