WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah/MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz., Feb 17, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — On Thursday, detectives from Washington City Police Department attempted to contact a suspect in a disorderly conduct incident in which a firearm was brandished last Saturday.
According to a joint Thursday night news release from St. George Police and the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation led detectives to an address in St. George, Utah, where the suspect was seen “leaving as a passenger inside a small SUV.”
Washington City detectives made a traffic stop on the vehicle when a female driver got out of the SUV and ran from the vehicle.
“The female told detectives that the male in the back seat had a gun and her infant son was also in the vehicle,” the news release says.
The male suspect got into the driver’s seat and fled the scene at a high rate of speed.
Because of the threat to the child, detectives and officers from St. George and Washington City pursued the vehicle through St. George, Santa Clara and Ivins onto Old Highway 91 into Mohave County in Arizona.
When the SUV stopped near Beaver Dam, Arizona, officers tried to communicate with the suspect, but he fled into an open field with the infant and a handgun, police said.
Officers established a containment area and were able to contact the suspect by phone. According to the news release, despite officers attempts to de-escalate the situation, the suspect continued to threaten to kill the child, while pointing the gun at the infant.
At least one officer fired at the suspect who died at the scene, police said.
The child appeared to be unharmed and was transported by the Beaver Dam Fire Department to St. George Regional Hospital for evaluation.
Because this incident occurred in Mohave County, Ariz., the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation.
Gephardt Daily will update this developing story as more information becomes available.
