SOUTH OGDEN, Utah — Ranae Wheeler woke up early Friday to crime scene tape near her home.
"Terrified that it was right here. Vulnerable," said Wheeler.
The tape was a stark reminder of a scary situation that had occurred overnight in her South Ogden neighborhood.
"I'm just glad I didn't have grandkids here," she added.
The unusual unfolded late Thursday night as police from several law enforcement agencies converged on the area near 1300 East and 5900 South after calls of multiple people having been shot.
"I heard about 4 to 6 pops go off," Wheeler said. "Next thing I know, we got phone calls from family asking if everything was okay."
"I stayed in the house because when I heard those loudspeakers, I knew that there was something bad. And it just breaks my heart for the people that were affected because this affected this whole neighborhood. Youre supposed to be safe at home."
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Officers said they saw a woman running from the area when they arrived on the scene, and more shots were then fired in her direction. Later, there was an exchange of gunfire between officers and the suspect, later identified as 45-year-old James Joseph Rios.
"This has always been a safe neighborhood," said Wheeler. "It is scary."
Investigators said two people who live in the neighborhood, a husband and wife, were injured, with Rios admitting to shooting them from inside his home because they were outside when he told them go back inside. Rios claimed the couple knew that people were coming and going into his house, and did not tell him.
Rios surrendered to police after a standoff and was taken into custody, where he faces attempted murder charges. The couple was transported to the hospital in unknown condition.
"It's hard, knowing it's this close to home, and that people are not safe anymore. The world is ugly," said Wheeler.
I'll continue to follow the case and dig into the law enforcement response to this incident. FOX 13 News has been directed to the Weber County Attorney's Office for additional updates, and we'll share those when they become available.
