SUNSET, Davis County, Utah - A man is in custody after allegedly shooting at a police vehicle and officer then leading multiple agencies on a search.
For police and citizens alike it looked like the scariest kind of crime: random violence.
"That's what we're trying to determine right now is why?" said Clinton Police Chief Bill Chilson.
The crime was an armed attack, a hail of bullets shot at a Sunset police officer as he drove his patrol car through Clinton to Sunset near 2963 North and 860 West at around 5 p.m. Thursday.
Police say the suspect, a 22-year-old man identified as Zane Openshaw, was walking on the sidewalk. They say he opened fire out of the blue, peppering the officer's car and missing him narrowly.
"The thing that is really interesting to me is this is a brand new officer. He hasn't had time to make enemies yet," Chilson said.
The attack led to a multi-agency manhunt for Openshaw. Police say they got a number of calls from residents describing the suspect jumping over fences and running through yards.
He eventually wound up on 250 West and 2400 North in Sunset, where Gunnar Wymore was working on a truck with a group of friends.
"This guy comes eyeballing the situation as if he was going to take our trucks and I was like, 'You better keep walking,' and thirty seconds later cop shows up around the corner," Wymore said.
Wymore said he pointed police down the street in the direction Openshaw ran.
While searching the street, police saw Heather Corona and her three toddler and preschool-age girls leaving their grandmother's home.
"And I noticed there were a bunch of police officers with their guns out and I called for my mom to come over. By that time the officers were already at my truck and they told me to get my kids out and lie on the floor," said Corona, describing police with gratitude, saying they picked up two of her daughters and carried them inside.
Openshaw reportedly hid in a shed. Officers say they captured him when he tried to walk out of the shed nonchalantly, acting like he had a cell phone call.
Chilson said the officer was clearly shaken up, but not seriously injured.
"But he's come through it and he's going to go home tonight and that's what counts," Chilson said.
Openshaw is being held in the Davis County Jail and is facing charges including attempted homicide.
