PLEASANT GROVE, Utah, April 9, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah County man is facing kidnapping and attempted murder charges after Pleasant Grove police alleged he used a weapon to force a former girlfriend into his pickup, then drove her to his residence, saying he wanted to shoot a male there while she watched.
The alleged aggressor, 19-year-old Bennie Roy Brownfield, believed his former girlfriend had “hooked up” with the man after drinking at a party.
“For this reason, Bennie had told Victim 1 that he was going to shoot Victim 3 in front of her,” court documents say.
Once Brownfield and Victim 1 arrived at his Pleasant Grove residence, he called Victim 3, saying he had the man’s cell phone in his possession. Victim 3 came to pick it up, and was assaulted by Brownfield, says a statement filed by an officer of the Pleasant Grove Police Department.
“Bennie was stopped by Victim 3’s mother (Victim 4). Bennie then went into the closet and grabbed a firearm, a .223 rifle. Bennie went to get the firearm as Victim 3 and 4 left out the front door.”
Brownfield then came up from his basement bedroom, pointed a rifle at a roommate standing in the kitchen, then went to the front door and pointed the gun at Victims 3 and 4.
Brownfield then reportedly shot the rifle at a vehicle that, by then, held Victims 3 and 4. Victims 1 and 2 (also female) were able to exit the house through the back door, the police statement says.
Brownfield was arrested for investigation of:
- Two counts of murder (attempted), a first-degree felony
- Kidnapping, a second-degree felony
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony
- Threat/use of dangerous weapon in fight, a class A misdemeanor
- Assault, a class B misdemeanor
- Damage/interrupt communication device, a class B misdemeanor
Brownfield was ordered held without bail in the Utah County jail.
