Man Holds 6 Latter-day Saint Missionaries At Gunpoint, Police Say
Jun 21, 2019, 6:38 AM | Updated: 7:07 pm
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – A man has been arrested after police say he held six missionaries with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at gunpoint in his home.
Paul Herrera Alfredo, who used the alias Paul Marquez, has been arrested and faces six counts of aggravated kidnapping, six counts of aggravated assault, and three counts of possession of a weapon by a restricted person.
The missionaries reported they visited Herrera’s home Thursday night in the area of 2400 West and 2800 South, authorities say.
Alfredo Paul Herrera
That’s when missionaries say Herrera pulled out a gun, told them they couldn’t leave, and held them at the home for a little more than an hour, officials say.
The missionaries were eventually able to leave the home, after which they called police and their mission president.
“We are grateful these six missionaries were able to calmly and appropriately deal with this situation and leave without inquiry,” said Church spokesman Daniel Woodruff. “The Church is working to provide any needed support and counseling to them as they recover from this alarming ordeal.”
Woodruff added that the Church is not identifying the missionaries at this time, but their families have been notified of the incident.
When asked why six missionaries made contact with Marquez at his home Thursday night instead of two, representatives with the Church told KSL it was because, “They had just asked some other missionaries to accompany them.”
Police said Herrera admitted to what happened.
