The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Saturday night shooting near the ghost town of Winton, located about five miles north-northeast of Rock Springs, KGAB AM 650 reports.
The incident left two young adults with significant injuries, according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting occurred at an impromptu gathering near an area referred to as “the pits,” where a bonfire was set up, and juveniles and young adults were socializing. The incident was reported around 11:30 p.m. on February 1.
Due to the involvement of a juvenile as the alleged shooter, authorities are withholding specific details, including the identities of the two victims. One of the injured individuals was treated at a local hospital, while the other was transported to Utah for additional medical care.
Sheriff John Grossnickle acknowledged the difficulties in monitoring such gatherings.
“We routinely patrol these desert parties, but by the time we get wind of one, word spreads, and they change locations. That makes intervening incredibly difficult before something goes wrong, like it did on Saturday night,” Grossnickle said in the release.
No arrests have been made, and sheriff’s office spokesman Jason Mower stated there is no current threat to public safety. Authorities have yet to release further information about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Sheriff’s Office continues to gather details to determine what led to the incident.
