Saturday gun incident leads to charges

An incident at a business last Saturday has led to the charges of aggravated assault and battery and reckless endangering against Jeffrey L. Schroeder. According to the charges, on the date of the incident Schroeder allegedly pulled a gun and aimed it at another subject.

According to court documents, on Sept. 30 an officer with the Thermopolis Police Department responded to a report of a male subject who pointed a gun at another subject. The reporting party said the subject, later identified as Schroeder, left heading southbound driving a silver Ford F-150.

The officer was unable to locate the vehicle and returned to the business, where a male subject said Schroeder pulled a gun on him and pointed it at him. The victim further noted his wife saw the gun, as he had his back to Schroeder and was walking away.

Upon further interview, the victim said he wanted to speak with Schroeder regarding some disparaging remarks made about the victim’s daughter. The victim asked, through a door, to speak with Schroeder but received no response. When he received no response, he warned Schroeder to leave his daughter alone or he would hurt him. He also told Schroeder he had three days to leave town.

As the victim walked away, he heard the door open and when he turned around saw Schroeder with a gun, described as a 1911 black automatic pistol. The victim’s wife stated Schroeder opened the door and stepped out, and she observed he had a gun in his hand which he brought up and pointed at the victim’s back. When the victim turned around Schroeder brought the gun down to his side.

While interviewing the victim and witnesses, the officer was notified by dispatch that Schroeder was on the phone and wanted to turn himself in but would only do so to a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper as he did not trust the Thermopolis Police Department. A few minutes later, the officer was informed Schroeder was at the Law Enforcement Center and wanted to visit with a sheriff’s deputy.

The officer responded to a Law Enforcement Center and observed Schroeder speaking with a deputy. After about 10 minutes, the officer was informed Schroeder would speak with him outside.

During the interview, Schroeder said the victim was banging on his door, and Schroeder didn’t open it for fear of bodily harm. Schroeder further said after the banging stopped he stepped to where his gun was located and picked it up. He then opened the door and went outside. Though the victim was walking away from him, Schroeder said when he stepped out he turned and started walking toward him. Schroeder said the two exchanged words before the victim walked away for good.

Schroeder also said he left the business and switched vehicles at a friend’s house when he saw law enforcement vehicles heading toward the canyon. He said he opened the door with the gun in his hand in order to scare the victim.

Schroeder is free on a $2,500 bond and scheduled to appear in circuit court on Oct. 10. He faces a maximum of 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine on the assault charge, a felony, and one year in jail on the endangering charge, a misdemeanor.