NAPLES, Utah, May 11, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Naples City police have released details of a Monday morning incident after residents east of U.S. Highway 40 were asked to shelter in place.
In a news release, Naples Police Department Chief Mark J. Watkins said that just after 10:20 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a disturbance call. As the officer was speaking with a man on the front lawn of the house in question, the man allegedly produced a rifle and fired it in the officer’s direction.
“The officer took cover and was prepared to return fire when the male subject turned and ran toward the back of the property,” the news release said. “The male subject was last seen running toward a ravine near the rear of the property.”
The officer was advised by the man’s mother that the subject believed that “someone was out to kill him,” the news release said.
Other officers and agencies arrived on scene and secured a sizable perimeter around the wooded creek area the man had headed toward.
“Due to the circumstances, law enforcement took extra precautions to not provoke a confrontation with the subject,” the news release said. “The assistance of the Department of Public Safety helicopter was requested to give an aerial view of the subject’s location.”
Just after 1:20 p.m., the man was observed lying motionless at the bottom of the creek area.
“Upon further investigation, the individual was found to have succumbed to an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the news release said. “No law enforcement officers fired any shots throughout this incident.”
The name of the deceased man has not been released, until family members are notified.
“There is no ongoing threat to public safety,” the news release said.
Gephardt Daily does not generally report on suicides unless they occur in a public place or otherwise impact a community.
Naples City is southeast of Vernal in Uintah County.
