WEST JORDAN, Utah, Feb. 17, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect was shot by police officers Thursday night after he allegedly held a woman against her will by threatening her with a handgun.
Officer Sam Winkler, public information officer for West Jordan Police Department, told reporters near the scene, that the incident began at about 11 a.m. Thursday, when police received a report of an aggravated assault in which a female was being held against her will by a male with a handgun.
Winkler said the woman was able to break free at one point, and was chased by the male suspect. The woman and the suspect had been co-workers at one point, he said.
Officers located the suspect in a vehicle in Jordan Landing, and a pursuit ensued; however, because of the amount of traffic in the area, officers discontinued the pursuit out of safety considerations.
A short time later, police again located the suspect, but again, there was so much traffic, they terminated the pursuit for the safety of the public.
While investigators were working on tracking down the suspect, Winkler said, they learned that he had contacted the female’s relative and had threatened them with a handgun also.
Detectives ultimately located the suspect and kept him under surveillance while contacting him on his cellphone to try to negotiate his surrender.
When negotiation efforts failed, a third pursuit ensued, and officers were able to spike the suspect vehicle’s tires.
Winkler said the suspect then fled on foot, armed with a handgun, and ultimately was shot by officers in the parking lot of the Jordan Credit Union.
It also was reported that Maya, a 6 1/2-year-old Belgian Malinois with the West Jordan Police Department, was shot and died in the incident.
The suspect was transported to Intermountain Medical Center. Winkler did not know the condition of the suspect late Thursday night.
Officers from West Jordan, South Jordan and Unified police departments were involved in the incident, and Winkler said that, in accordance with protocol, Team No. 3 from West Valley City is conducting the investigation into the shooting.
Winkler said he is not aware of any officers being injured, and it isn’t currently known how many officers fired their weapons.
He emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and a heavy police presence will be on scene, with the area of 114th South and Redwood Road being closed “for some time.”
Gephardt Daily will update this developing story as more details are made available.
