Three officer-involved shootings keep police busy across northern Utah
Feb 8, 2021, 12:33 PM | Updated: Dec 29, 2022, 12:57 pm
Ogden Police Chief Eric Young speaks about Friday night's fatal shooting of a sexual assault suspect during a briefing at the Francom Public Safety Building in Ogden on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021. Photo: Jeffrey Allred, Deseret News
OGDEN, Utah — Police in northern Utah fired their weapons at least three times over the weekend in a series of unrelated officer-involved shootings, including some in which suspects threatened officers’ lives.
Assault leads to chase, shooting
In Ogden, police say a reported sexual assault, aggravated assault and robbery led to the shooting that killed a man.
According to the Deseret News, the woman reported the attack, in the 100 block of 26th St., just after 7 p.m. Friday, saying the man assaulted her and stole her car.
Around 11:40 p.m., police spotted the stolen vehicle with the suspect and another woman inside, near 30th St. and Washington Boulevard.
“As officers approached the vehicle, the female immediately exited and surrendered to officers. The suspect exited from the driver’s seat and ran,” Ogden Police Chief Eric Young said.
Young said the officers pursued the man through the snow to an open garage, when the suspect stood up with a gun in his hand.
“Two Ogden police officers fired their guns,” Young said. “The suspect was struck by the gunfire at the scene.”
That man died. The department placed the two officers involved on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Two more officer-involved shootings in Utah in the same weekend
Saturday, Unified Police became involved in a standoff in Kearns with a man they say fired at officers and held a gun to his grandson’s head. According to UPD, he came out of the house, pointed a gun at officers, and fired shots. Three officers returned fire, killing the man. No other family members or officers suffered any injuries.
Sunday morning, a Woods Cross police officer fired shots at a truck involved in a chase.
According to Woods Cross Police Chief Chad Soffe, the chase began after an officer caught up with the driver of a vehicle leaving Mannheim Auto Auction Property.
“He got out of his car, attempted to talk to the individuals that were in the pickup truck, and they had a little exchange. Shots were fired by my officer,” Soffe said.
Soffe said the truck sped off, leading to a pursuit. Eventually, police say the driver of that vehicle slammed on the brakes, causing a police cruiser to crash into it, before the suspects crashed into a chain link fence in West Valley City. Police arrested two men, but say no one was hurt.
