Police Identify Man Accused Of Killing Provo Police Officer
Jan 7, 2019, 6:37 PM | Updated: 9:06 pm
Matthew Frank Hoover
OREM, Utah – The identity has been released of the suspect arrested in connection with the shooting death of an officer from the Provo Police Department.
Officials with the Orem Police Department said 40-year-old Matthew Frank Hoover was in custody for the death of Provo Officer Joseph Shinners.
Provo and Orem police were working together to apprehend Hoover, who investigators said was aa wanted fugitive.
Matthew Hoover
Hoover was spotted near 50 West University Parkway in Orem Saturday just before 10 p.m.
Despite two warrants out for his arrest, police said Hoover made comments recently saying he would not go back to prison.
“Usually when someone says, ‘I’m not going back to prison,’ we take that as being a substantial (threat),” said Lt. Trent Colledge. “I wouldn’t necessarily say a direct threat to officers, but that this guy is a dangerous person to us because he’s made comments that he won’t go back to prison.”
During the attempted arrest, police said Hoover fired his gun, hitting Officer Joseph Shinners, who was able to shoot back, striking Hoover.
Police said no one else fired a weapon.
“It’s a struggle for everybody involved,” said Lt. Colledge. “The Provo Police Department, Orem Police Department, law enforcement in general… It’s hard when we lose one of our own.”
Hoover was still in the hospital, listed in stable condition.
A look at his past showed he’s been arrested multiple times. His lengthy criminal record over the past two decades showed several charges, including drug possession, burglary, theft, interfering with arrest and carrying a concealed dangerous weapon.
The new charges against Hoover were much more serious.
“He faces aggravated murder charges, attempted aggravated murder charges, possession of a weapon by a restricted person and possession of methamphetamine with a prior history,” said Lt. Colledge.
Hoover was from the Fillmore area, but police said he was currently homeless and living with friends in Utah County.
Officer Shinners was the fifth Provo police officer to have died while in the line of duty in the department’s history. He was also the third Utah enforcement officer shot and killed on a January 5 since 2010.
