In the quiet community of Sheridan, Wyoming, a routine duty turned into a tragic event that would deeply affect the local law enforcement and the town's residents. On the morning of February 13, 2024, Sergeant Nevada Krinkee, a 33-year-old Caucasian male and a respected member of the Sheridan Police Department, was shot while serving a trespass warning. The incident occurred near the intersection of 5th Street and Val Vista Street.
Sergeant Krinkee was immediately transported to Sheridan Memorial Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. This senseless act of violence marked the first line-of-duty death in the history of the Sheridan Police Department.
The suspect, identified as 46-year-old William Lowery, fled the scene after the shooting. A short time later, he was located and had barricaded himself inside a residence on North Sheridan Avenue. This initiated a tense standoff that would last for over 30 hours. A significant law enforcement presence, including members of the Sheridan Police Department, Sheridan County Sheriff's Office, and Wyoming Highway Patrol, established a perimeter around the house. Negotiation teams and Special Response Teams were also on the scene, making numerous attempts to have the suspect surrender peacefully.
The prolonged standoff concluded on the evening of February 14, 2024. After various tactics to resolve the situation failed, law enforcement used an excavator to remove the roof of the house where Lowery was hiding. Lowery then exited the residence armed and attempted to flee, at which point he was shot by law enforcement and pronounced dead at the scene. As the sole suspect was killed, no arrests were made in connection with Sergeant Krinkee's death. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation took over the investigation into the incident.
In the aftermath, it was revealed that the firearms Lowery possessed were illegally obtained. His mother, Eileen Marie Hurley, was later sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for purchasing the handguns for her son, who was a convicted felon and thus prohibited from possessing firearms. Sergeant Krinkee, an eight-year U.S. Army veteran, had served with the Sheridan Police Department for over six years. He was remembered as a dedicated officer and a loving husband and father to his wife and young daughter. The community of Sheridan and law enforcement agencies from across the state mourned his loss, remembering him as a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
