Woman arrested for aggravated assault in Kearns
Jun 1, 2021, 7:15 PM | Updated: Dec 29, 2022, 12:13 pm
KEARNS, Utah – Police took a woman into custody in Kearns and booked her for aggravated assault after she reportedly tried to bait police officers into shooting her. Investigators report she pointed a shoe at an officer, trying to trick her into thinking it was a gun.
Leading up to the aggravated assault in Kearns
Police were called to check on Krystal Bujan by several people. Unified Police Sergeant Melody Cutler says one caller claimed Bujan threatened her. Another claimed Bujan was passed out in her car.
However, police were also told she may want to end her life by “suicide by cop.”
Booking documents reported an officer found Bujan walking along Misty Way and she claimed she had a gun. Cutler said Bujan pointed an object at her, making it appear she had a weapon.
“The officer immediately took cover. She drew her weapon and started issuing verbal commands,” she said.
Luckily, the officer was able to get a better look at the object in her hand and was able to determine it was a shoe, and she informed the other officers Bujan was unarmed.
Cutler said Bujan tried repeatedly to convince the officers she had a weapon.
Cutler reported, “She put the object behind her back and then she would push it back out in front of her really quickly, similar to what you would see if someone were drawing a gun from behind their back.”
After doing this several times, booking documents say Bujan got into her car and drove straight at the officer, although she was able to jump out of the way. Bujan then reportedly rammed a different police vehicle, twice, then tried to flee.
After the attempted assault
Cutler said Bujan hit a fence and got stuck between her car door, which is when officers were able to arrest her.
Bujan is extremely lucky the officer was able to get a clear view of what was in her hand, according to Cutler.
“Had this been two hours later, when it was much darker and [the officer] was potentially unable to really see what was in her hand, this could have ended very badly for her,” she said.
Reports show Bujan was “foaming at the mouth” and was clearly under the influence of something, but police haven’t determined what, yet. The report also said Bujan had a gun, previously, but must have dropped it. That gun was found near Sun Drive.
Anyone battling with thoughts of suicide should call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
