MIDVALE, Utah, Oct. 4, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A 26-year-old man is in custody after alleged threats made to his girlfriend led to a SWAT standoff in Midvale in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The suspect has been identified as Kelvin Lee, Unified Police Department Sgt. Melody Cutler told Gephardt Daily.
The incident began in the area of 7730 S. Summit Peak Drive at approximately 2:30 a.m., Cutler said.
Lee allegedly threatened his girlfriend at least one firearm, according to Cutler. The suspect’s girlfriend and children were safely able to exit the home through a window with the assistance of officers, Cutler said. Lee refused to come out of the home and SWAT teams and negotiators responded.
The suspect was subsequently taken into custody at approximately 6 a.m., Cutler added. He was transported to Salt Lake County Jail.
Lee’s probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Salt Lake City, released Sunday afternoon, said an officer was requested to investigate an aggravated domestic dispute at the suspect’s address in Midvale, where a firearm was threatened.
“Police responded to the apartment and assisted in extracting two children and the girlfriend/victim from the apartment through a window,” the statement said. “The detective was advised the Special Weapons and Tactics team, along with negotiators were responding to assist in the surrender of Kelvin, who maintained inside the apartment, refusing to respond to officers’ request to exit.”
Lee’s girlfriend was interviewed by officers, and said she and Lee had been arguing on and off throughout the day.
“She stated Kelvin made statements about her not listening to him and the verbal argument began,” the court document said. “She stated throughout the day, Kelvin and she verbally argued. She said at approximately 6:30 p.m., Kelvin left the apartment. She said at approximately 10:42 p.m., Kelvin returned to the apartment,” according to the statement.
She was seated on the rocking chair, holding her two children, when Lee walked into the bedroom and placed one hand around her neck, stating that she needed to respect him, the statement said. She stated Lee slapped the right side of her face with an open hand, several times, then began throwing and breaking items. He also allegedly sexually assaulted woman in the children’s bedrooms, the probable cause statement said.
The girlfriend said Lee then was waving a black handgun, and allegedly told their son: “Daddy is gonna make a bad choice and gonna be gone for a long time.” The girlfriend stated throughout this time Kelvin said on numerous occasions, “Shut up or I’ll kill you” and “Shut up before I shoot you,” the court document said.
She then said Lee placed the gun into her back and forced her into the children’s bedroom and sexually assaulted her for the second time, the probable cause statement said.
She went into their laundry room and was able to text message several people, initiating a police response, according to the statement.
After surrendering, Lee was transported to the Sheriff’s Office building to be interviewed. he said he and his girlfriend had argued throughout the day, but denied all allegations of physical and sexual abuse, the probable cause statement said.
According to jail documents, Lee is facing charges of:
- Aggravated assault, a second-degree felony
- Aggravated assault, a third-degree felony
- Unlawful detention, a class B misdemeanor
- 2 counts of violent offense committed in the presence of a child, a class B misdemeanor
He is being held without bail.
