Bystanders recall tense moments of fatal Ogden officer-involved shooting
Jun 6, 2023, 9:59 PM | Updated: Jun 7, 2023, 2:39 pm
OGDEN, Utah — Witnesses of the fatal officer-involved shooting say police were in their backyard when gunfire erupted on Tuesday afternoon.
Ogden police officers were responding to a violation of a protective order and ended up in a shootout with the man, said Jake Sube, deputy chief with the Ogden Police Department.
Sube said the shooting happened at approximately 3:30 p.m. at 170 N. Washington Boulevard at the Washington Park Apartments. He said when officers arrived at the complex, their subject approached them with a gun.
“An exchange of gunfire ensued between the officer and the suspect,” Sube explained in a press conference. “Due to the seriousness of the situation, additional officers were called to the scene.”
The apartment complex sits next to the Ogden-Weber Technical College, and the school was on lockdown for a while. School isn’t in session, but police were securing the entire area when the incident turned dangerous.
During the encounter, bystanders took video from the college campus. Video taken by Carson Sidwell has the sound of a few shots followed by a barrage of bullets.
Sube said the officer hit is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery. All officers directly involved are now on administrative leave pending a full investigation that will be completed by the Weber-Morgan Critical Incident Team.
In the press conference, Sube said he and the chief are proud of the bravery of the officers involved in what was a dangerous confrontation.
“It is important to note that this situation was highly chaotic and rapidly evolving, leading to the involvement of multiple officers discharging firearms in the incident,” he said.
Carson Kidwell shared this video where multiple gunshots can be heard from distant police activity in Ogden. An officer was shot, but alive and taken to a hospital.
READ : https://t.co/kGdFk3Xtq2 pic.twitter.com/hWJYyGOrXd
— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) June 6, 2023
Residents of the apartment said it looked like a scene from a movie, with police surrounding the complex and the sound of gunfire.
“It was pretty crazy,” said Rodney, a witness. “They actually were hiding behind my car over there, and that’s when we noticed the cops were outside.”
Rodney’s girlfriend Kayla said after looking out the window and seeing guns drawn, she was nervous.
“I think I was more scared because I did not have my son with me, so my main focus was just to get down and protect him,” Kayla expressed.
Meanwhile, the property is riddled with bullets. Rodney said his car was hit by bullets, and he’s sure there are many others.
“All of it was unexpected,” he said. “It’s like when someone starts shooting in your neighborhood, it’s kind of crazy.”
