James "Sonny" Goggles, a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, remains in serious condition after being shot in the head in Riverton, Wyoming, on July 18, 2015. His family is raising funds to aid his recovery. Photo from Give Forward
Officials in Wyoming support a potential federal hate crimes investigation into the shootings of two members of the Northern Arapaho Tribe in a reservation border town. Stallone Trosper, 29, was murdered after being shot in the head while he slept in a detoxification center in Riverton. James “Sonny” Goggles, Jr. remains in critical condition after also being shot in the head. Roy Clyde, a 32-year-old city parks employee, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. The tribe believes hate crime charges are warranted and local officials welcome a federal investigation.
Booking photo of Roy Clyde from Fremont County Sheriff's Office
"If the Northern Arapaho want justice through the federal courts, we’d be supportive of that," Police Chief Mike Broadhead told County 10. "Our goal is to seek justice in this case.” The U.S. Attorney's Office is monitoring the case, a spokesperson told the Associated Press. Mayor John “Lars” Baker also told the AP that a federal probe won't face local opposition. Federal prosecutors could bring charges under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a hate crimes statute. The first case filed under the law involved a member of the Navajo Nation who was kidnapped and victimized in a reservation border town in New Mexico.
The Center of Hope in Riverton, Wyoming. Image from Google Maps
Trosper and Googles, whose age hasn't been reported, were shot in the Center of Hope on West Adams Avenue in Riverton. The facility is not from a city park where tribal members say Native Americans -- some of them homeless but not all -- are known to gather. About 11,000 people live in Riverton, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those, about 10.4 percent are American Indian or Alaska Native. Many are members of the Northern Arapaho Tribe or the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. The two tribes are based on the Wind River Reservation and both contend Riverton remains a part of their land base, a contention disputed by state and local officials. Get the Story:
Family says survivor critically injured in Wyoming shooting (AP 7/22)
Local officials have no objection to Federal Hate Crimes Investigation in Trosper death (County 10 7/22)
Weekend incident results in security changes at City Hall, Public Works Department (County 10 7/22)
Grassroots team hosting a meal for Riverton’s homeless on Saturday (County 10 7/22)
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hate crime (7/22) Two men from Northern Arapaho Tribe shot while sleeping (7/21)
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