UPDATE: Man Arrested After Swiping Knife at Trooper in State Parking Garage
A Minnesota man is behind bars following an incident in the state parking garage west of the capitol building Tuesday afternoon.
Wyoming Highway Patrol Sergeant David Wagener says troopers with the Capitol Protective Services Division responded to the parking garage around 1 p.m., after receiving multiple calls about a shirtless man screaming at people and attempting to steal a man's wallet.
"The initial trooper that arrived on scene was able to locate the suspect who was sitting in a car," said Wagener. "The trooper began to speak with the suspect and the suspect, while still seated in the car, immediately made multiple swipes with a knife towards the trooper."
Wagener says the trooper "drew his handgun and began to give commands to the suspect."
"The suspect dropped the knife (and) then rolled up the windows on the car and locked himself in the vehicle," said Wagener. "Additional troopers did arrive and after brief negotiations of about five minutes the suspect did eventually surrender without further incident."
37-year-old Jeffrey Larson was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. He faces up to ten years in prison if convicted.
"This was an isolated event and people shouldn't be nervous or worried about using that parking garage," said Wagener. "Troopers will continue to patrol that parking garage and they're going to increase patrols in that area as well just to reassure people that use that parking garage that it is a safe parking garage."