SMITHFIELD, Utah -- A Smithfield Animal Control Officer is still shaken up after being the target of a drive by shooting.
It happened Tuesday night at his home near 50 North and 300 East.
Officer Keepers said it was like any other day after work. He was at home, sitting on his front porch talking on the phone when he found himself with a gun pointed at him.
“Leaned out the window and pointed something at me - it appeared to be a gun - pointed at me and fired it,” Keepers said.
He was unable to move before the shot went off.
“It scared me to death," he said. "I just froze. When his arm went out the window and I heard that bang it just startled me."
Officers have not found a bullet or casing near Keepers’ property, but they are investigating this as a targeted attack. Brandon Muir, Public Information Officer with the Smithfield Police Department, said it’s an unusual incident.
“It's not very common that somebody would just pull up to an officer's home and discharge a firearm,” he said.
Working in the animal control division, Keepers said he’s seen his fair share of retaliation, but nothing ever this extreme.
He said: “I've been spit on, I've been threatened, I've had feces thrown at me...”
Keepers is glad no one was hurt, and says this is no laughing matter.
“If whoever it was thinks it was a joke it's not a joke,” he said. “It's not a joke now a days. Look what happened in Santa Barbara recently and look what happened at Cache Valley Specialty Hospital last week. It's just not a joke, you don't point anything at anyone even if it's fun goofing off or whatever: you don't do that.”
Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the man responsible. They said he is a white male with shaggy hair last seen wearing a baseball cap. He was in a faded brown 1980’s model lifted Chevy pickup truck with loud exhaust and larger tires and wheels.
Anyone with information is asked to call Smithfield Police at (435) 753-7555.
