CEDAR CITY, Utah, Oct. 2, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A Cedar City man has been charged with the attempted murder of his father, with whom he lived.
Cedar City police also say the suspect shot in the direction of officers, and later exited the residence, pointing a gun in the direction of an officer, who shot him.
Brian Peters, 40, was booked into jail Friday after a hospital stay following the Sept. 30 incident. He faces charges of:
- Murder (attempted), knowing and intentional, a first-degree felony
- Felony discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony
On Sept., 30, which was Thursday, officers were dispatched at 11:40 a.m. to the area of 4200 West and 499 North on a report of shots fired.
The caller, later identified as the father of the alleged shooter, told dispatch his son had tried to shoot him with a .22 caliber, and was intoxicated. A probable cause statement filed by an officer of the Cedar City Police Department says the suspect, Peters, also called dispatch to say he was trying to shoot his father, and “we would need SWAT and that there was going to be a lot of gun fire going on.”
The statement says that in a later interview, the father “said he was sitting at his computer when he heard a bang. Brian’s father turned and saw Brian holding a revolver attempting to shoot his father again. Brian’s father asked what Brian was doing and Brian said his plan was ruined, but never said more about the plan.”
The father was able to disarm Peters, the statement said.
“Brian told his father to call the police and later told his father to get out of the house. Brian’s father tried to talk to him and Brian pointed another handgun at
his father and told his father to get out.”
Officers arrived and set up a perimeter, and evacuated nearby neighbors, the probable cause statement says. Officers also set up operation on Highway 56, which was visible from the home, “to try to keep traffic further from the rear of the house.”
An officer standing outside his unmarked vehicle near the residence reported Peters opened a sliding glass door and shot in his direction, the statement says.
“Officers were able to make phone contact with Brian and he told the officer speaking with him that if anyone came through the front door, he would shoot them,” the statement says. “The officer on the phone told Brian he needed to put the gun down and to come out.
“As SWAT arrived on scene, an officer that was providing cover on the front door notified officers that Brian had come out of the residence and was approaching him. This officer told other officers on scene that Brian had come toward him with a gun pointed at him. The officer gave Brian commands to stop and drop the weapon and said he saw the suspect start to raise the weapon. Brian did not comply with commands and an officer fired rounds at Brian.”
Peters was hit by gunfire, and retreated into the residence before putting his gun down and exiting the house. He was transported to the hospital for treatment, the police statement says.
“While Brian was at the hospital and officers were nearby, Brian made a spontaneous utterance that he had shot at a car on the highway.”
Peters declined to make further statements until he had an attorney. He was booked Friday into the Iron County Jail.
