An armed man was taken into custody Wednesday night in Millcreek, Utah, after police responding to a domestic-violence call said he fired a rifle in the direction of officers, triggering a major law-enforcement response and a temporary shelter-in-place alert for nearby residents.
The incident began at about 8 p.m. September 9 near Lambourne Avenue, where Unified Police officers were called after a person at a residence reported an argument involving a male relative who was armed with a rifle and said they feared for their safety. Officers spoke with people at the scene and determined that the armed man was reportedly suicidal.
Rather than immediately approaching the residence, officers backed away and deployed drones while attempting to manage the situation. Police then heard gunfire that investigators believe was directed toward officers.
The man subsequently left the area and was taken into custody a few blocks away roughly 30 minutes after the initial call. Police said he was still armed with a rifle when he was arrested.
No injuries had been reported as of Wednesday night, either among officers, the suspect or nearby residents. Authorities nevertheless treated the situation as a serious threat because of the reported gunfire and the presence of a rifle.
Police issued a reverse-911 alert instructing people in the surrounding area to shelter in place while officers worked to contain the situation. The containment area was later reduced to the immediate vicinity of the residence where the incident began.
Several law-enforcement agencies responded, including the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter and the Unified Police SWAT team. Police said the SWAT team responded to the area but did not fully deploy. Officers also checked nearby homes and spoke with residents as investigators worked to determine where the fired rounds traveled.
The incident left residents in the neighborhood facing an unsettling night as police vehicles and emergency personnel converged on the area. For people who heard gunfire or received the shelter-in-place warning, the response underscored the seriousness of the situation.
The man’s identity and potential charges had not been released as of the latest reports. Police also had not announced whether anyone else was involved in the confrontation.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the domestic-violence call, the man’s reported mental-health crisis, the gunfire and his eventual arrest. Authorities are expected to release additional information as the investigation develops.
For now, the immediate danger appears to have ended with the suspect in custody and no reported injuries. The case remains under investigation as police work to establish the full sequence of events that led to the shooting.
