Alleged assailant turns gun on self

Bryon Glathar, Herald Managing Editor
Posted 5/11/17

Man in critical condition (COURTESY PHOTO/AirMed)

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Alleged assailant turns gun on self

Posted

EVANSTON — A Lyman man was transported from Bear Meadows in Evanston via AirMed helicopter Tuesday evening after he allegedly assaulted two women in the Bridger Valley before attempting suicide.

Lyman Police Chief Tom Clark said the man allegedly physically assaulted two women at the Lyman Cemetery Tuesday afternoon. He said the man then allegedly brandished a firearm and threatened the women with the gun before threatening suicide. 

Uinta County Sheriff’s Deputy Andy Kopp said the incident was reported at 4:21 p.m. Clark said the man had left the cemetery by the time officers arrived shortly after.

Clark said officers found the suspect’s vehicle at a residence on West Walnut Street in Lyman. The suspect, Clark said, didn’t respond to communication attempts and had barricaded himself in the home.

Clark said that because the man had threatened to harm himself, an ambulance was on standby as officers secured the perimeter and tried to communicate with the suspect. After unsuccessful attempts to communicate with the man, officers in tactical gear entered the home and found the man, injured from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot.

Clark said medical personnel quickly administered lifesaving treatment. A Bridger Valley ambulance crew drove the man to Bear Meadows in Evanston, where first responders arranged for an AirMed helicopter to pick up the man around 6:45 p.m. Medics loaded the suspect into the helicopter and he was transported to University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. Clark said the man had a strong pulse when he was transferred. Kopp said that as of Thursday around 9 a.m., the man was still alive and was in critical but stable condition.

Clark, who couldn’t be reached Thursday, said Wednesday that he’s not releasing the name of the suspect.

“We haven’t released his name yet because we haven’t notified the family,” he said. “And I don’t know at this point … we’re not sure if it’s a fatality or not.”

Note: The Herald doesn’t typically report on suicide or suicide attempts. However, we chose to report on this incident since it involved an alleged assault in a public place, as well as a medical transfer in a public place.