EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah, June 13, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Authorities in Utah County have identified a 23-year-old Eagle Mountain man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting Sunday night while threatening the life of a 17-year-old hostage.
The man was Daniel Bennett Edwards, according to information from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Spencer Cannon told Gephardt Daily that deputies were called to a home just after 8:30 p.m. due to reports of a man, now identified as Edwards, threatening suicide.
A statement from Utah County Sheriff’s Office said Edwards’ wife, outside the home with two young children, called saying her husband was in their home on Summit Way, holding her niece hostage and threatening to kill the teenager.
“She reported he was threatening her with a large kitchen knife, or butcher knife,” the UCSO statement said. “As deputies responded, Edwards broke off communication with them and told them in 60 seconds he was going to kill the 17-year-old hostage.
“Detectives later spoke to witnesses who also heard Edwards threaten to count down from 60 and kill the hostage. It was then that deputies entered the home. Upon doing so, they encountered Edwards holding the 17-year-old hostage with one arm and holding the butcher knife in the other hand,” the statement said.
“He refused to comply with commands from deputies to drop the knife. With the threat to the victim being imminent a deputy fired one shot, striking Edwards in the head. Edwards died at the scene.”
The Utah County Attorney’s Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting. The deputy who fired the shot has been placed on paid administrative leave.
