Charges Filed Against Suspect In Pleasant Grove Standoff

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah – Police said the man arrested for firing shots at people in his Pleasant Grove neighborhood holding off police for six hours should be held without bail, saying the man was a “danger to himself and everyone around him.”

Court records said the man has a history of mental illness.

He was booked into the Utah County Jail and has been charged with attempted aggravated murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and illegal discharge of weapons.

A probable cause affidavit said the suspect admitted to firing his gun at a neighbor’s brother “because he was a fake Marine and would not stand down.”

Another neighbor told police the suspect shot at her as she drove past the scene. No one was injured.

The court document said Pleasant Grove police were familiar with the suspect and have documented his history of mental illness, domestic violence, and drug use. His family members have reported that he suffers from schizophrenia and could be autistic.

The court document said about eight shots were fired before police arrived and several more were fired at four officers who responded to the scene.

The document said one officer fired a single shot. The suspect told investigators that the shot hit the wood deck and splinters hit him in the leg.

That officer is now on administrative leave pending an investigation.

A SWAT team was called in and negotiated with him for several hours but he refused to give up. The SWAT team then “introduced” tear gas into the home but that did not work either. The SWAT team then smashed into his front door and window with an armored vehicle.

He surrendered after that.

The affidavit said he, “alienated himself from all his family and has stated that he hasn’t left his residence since September of 2020. (The suspect) stated he doesn’t trust the local police because they eat zombie flesh and stated his neighbor is making zombie meat in his back yard in a zombie pond.”