SWEEETWATER COUNTY, WYO – After a lengthy standoff yesterday where a suspect wanted on a probation revocation bench warrant refused to exit his vehicle, a 48-year-old man finally emerged urging police to shoot him.
Sweetwater County Sheriff’s deputies and Wyoming Highway Patrol had no way of knowing whether Fredrick Charles Wilkening, Jr., 48, of Rock Springs was armed so when he finally got out of his truck they were understandably on edge.
“Kill me,” Wilkening shouted at officers as he walked toward them. “Pull the trigger!”
Officers did shoot Wilkening, but with a non-lethal “beanbag” round fired from a special shotgun. After a brief scuffle, the suspect was quickly subdued and taken into custody.
The incident began when Wilkening’s red Dodge Ram pickup was spotted driving west on Sunset Drive late Wednesday afternoon. County detectives stopped Wilkening on a bench warrant for original charges stemming from Stalking and two counts of Violation of Order of Protection. When the suspect refused to get out of his truck, other county units including Wyoming Highway Patrol were called in.
Traffic was blocked for public safety and responding units waited while Wilkening reportedly yelled obscenities at deputies and called upon them to “shoot him.” Ultimately, he got out of his vehicle and began walking toward officers shouting “kill me” and “pull the trigger.” When he refused repeated orders to stop and go to the ground, a deputy shot him with a beanbag round.
EMS personnel at the scene examined Wilkening and determined he did not need further medical treatment at a hospital.
Wilkening was transported without further incident to the Sweetwater County Detention Center, charged with the bench warrant and Interference with a Police Officer. He now faces additional charges of Domestic Battery, False Imprisonment, and Stalking in another case, and remains in custody in lieu of a total bond of $30,000 cash or surety.
