OREM, Utah — A man was shot and killed on Monday, May 5 by members of the Utah County Major Crimes task force.
According to arrest documents, task force officers were at the home in the area of 800 East 400 North about two and a half hours before the shooting to follow up on a weeks-long investigation into Alejandro Demery for the distribution of controlled substances in Utah County. Demery was taken into custody while trying to drive away from the home. Officials said he was found with approximately 150 fentanyl pills and 11.8 grams of methamphetamine.
In an update a week later, the Utah County Sheriff's Office said members of the task force were executing a search warrant at Demery's home around midnight when they encountered a different man. According to the sheriff's office, the officers announced that they were law enforcement and were serving a search warrant, but then the man did not comply with their orders.
"During this confrontation, shots were fired by Law Enforcement and a loaded handgun was recovered from floor next to the male who had been shot," a press release on Monday, May 12 read.
Officers rendered life-saving measures for the suspect and called for an ambulance. However, when Orem EMS arrived, the suspect was pronounced dead.
Even a week later, police have yet to name the suspect who was killed.
No law enforcement personnel were injured in the shooting.
The Utah County Officer Involved protocol team is handling the investigation.
Among the information still unknown is the officer who was involved, who was killed, and what led up to those shots being fired, among other details.
“What it does is it creates uncertainty, it creates suspiciousness. Is there something wrong?” retired Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said in an interview with FOX 13 News.
So, why can’t they clear the air?
Spencer Cannon, the recently retired public information officer and sergeant with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, said there can be several investigations ongoing, from the OICI team to the District Attorney's office to internal reviews. So, he said, it’s important they protect the investigations while also not misleading the public.
“There are legitimate reasons — you want to make sure you get it right," Cannon said. “We recognize that it’s hard, and the longer it goes, the more questions we have and the more frustrated we get. We can’t make our decisions based on how we think the public will view us. We have to make our decisions investigatively, based on what’s best for the investigation.”
"Releasing too much information may harm the investigators who are still maybe looking for other suspects or trying to collect other evidence," Cannon added. “The duck is just slowly gliding along the water, but underneath they’re paddling furiously."
That involves notifying next of kin and conducting several investigations, as well as making sure their officers are OK.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office said they expect to release some additional information on Wednesday.
