WEST JORDAN, Utah — For the last 26 years, Van Walther has grown his family in their West Jordan neighborhood. He’s watched the area grow and change.
“When we first moved in, there were a lot of people who have been here for a long time,” he said. “New people are moving in.”
But on Tuesday night, he said it was unexpected chaos. Around 5 p.m., police issued a shelter-in-place order for everyone within three blocks in every direction from a home near 1900 W. 7265 South, where police said they got a call that there was an armed suspect.
Police said they were able to get everyone else out of the house, but the suspect was still there. They began to negotiate with him and said they had consistent communication.
West Jordan police said at one point, the suspect stopped communicating, and then around 10 p.m., police obtained a warrant. Once they got the warrant, SWAT was able to enter the home and shots were fired. Police said the suspect was dead, but didn’t say if the fatal shots were from police.
Walther got a call from the neighbors about the police presence as he was out picking up his son.
“We were very concerned when we got here,” he said. “There were police cars and ambulances lined up down the street."
He said he didn’t know the suspect, but he knew the homeowner, who had new renters in the house.
“[The homeowner] was the one that exited and called the police,” he said. “The suspect was a friend of one of the renters in the home. The homeowner told me there was a discussion going on and then [the suspect] was brandishing a gun.”
Walther said he started to make phone calls to the people in the area to check on them.
“The people behind the house where the incident happened, we called to check on them and make sure they were okay,” he said. “We were concerned and just wanted to make sure everybody was safe.”
Nine officers fired shots. Eight of them were with the West Jordan Police Department, and one was from the Utah Highway Patrol.
The officers have been placed on paid leave, which is the procedure after an incident like this. The investigation is ongoing.
For Walther and his family, he said it’s important for people to check on their neighbors and get to know them.
“As the incident was going on, we told everyone that they needed to stay safe,” he said. “All in all, I think you get to know your neighbors and you know what’s going on in your neighborhood and watch out for each other.”
The City of West Jordan also released a statement in response to the fatal incident, saying:
"Our hearts are with the families and neighbors who were impacted by last night’s incident. We thank the community for their patience as public safety officials worked to resolve a difficult situation. We are grateful for the professionalism of our police officers and their commitment to protecting residents. The incident remains under investigation, and the City will support that process fully.”
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Resources for domestic violence victims/prevention (free, 24/7, confidential):
Utah Domestic Violence Coalition
- Hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- Online help: udvc.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Online live chat: thehotline.org
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
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For those struggling with thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can now be reached by simply dialing 988 any time for free support. Resources are also available online at utahsuicideprevention.org.
