Man Arrested Following Shooting at Local Motel

Published on January 10, 2026

Cheyenne Police have arrested a man in connection with a shooting that occurred yesterday afternoon at a local motel. Harold Wayne Sarvis, 69 years old, from Cheyenne, was booked into the Laramie County Jail for attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

On January 9 at approximately 2:25 p.m. officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting at the Big Horn Motel, located at 2004 East Lincolnway. Upon arrival, officers found a 52-year-old male, who was the apparent victim of a gunshot wound. He was transported to the hospital by ambulance for treatment.

The preliminary investigation and surveillance video show that the victim arrived at the motel around 2:13 p.m. and a verbal dispute occurred near Sarvis’s room. The argument escalated and the man was shot by Sarvis. After the shooting, Sarvis returned to his room while the victim collapsed in the courtyard.

After responding and securing the area, officers and assisting agencies remained on scene for several hours while working to contact Sarvis. The motel was evacuated for the safety of everyone in the immediate area. Specialized resources, including the Cheyenne Police/Laramie County joint SWAT team, crisis negotiators, and the Bomb Squad, were called to assist.

The SWAT team made several announcements, commanding Sarvis to exit the room but he refused. Crisis negotiators were able to briefly communicate with him by phone, but he was not cooperative.

At 6:10 p.m., utilizing explosive breaching techniques, the SWAT team was able to enter the room with an unmanned drone and locate the suspect. Sarvis was given a series of commands and was safely taken into custody. The scene was subsequently cleared.

As a precaution, an adjacent school, Alta Vista Elementary, was placed into a secure perimeter at 2:45 p.m. The perimeter was lifted by 4:00 p.m. Traffic was also rerouted around the area, and an outer perimeter was established while the scene was active.

This case remains under investigation by the Cheyenne Police Detective Bureau.