Police: Utah man being evicted releases jar of unknown chemicals; 4 treated for symptoms

MILLCREEK, Utah — A man who was being evicted from his apartment was arrested by a SWAT team late Sunday after police say he caused multiple people to become sick by releasing some sort of chemical mixture.

Albert Paul Giron, 62, was booked in to the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of three counts of making a threat of terrorism, aggravated assault, making a threat of violence and disorderly conduct.

Police were called to an apartment complex at 3330 S. 2700 East after reports that Giron had earlier come out of his apartment wearing a mask “and threw a glass jar into a common area in the center of the complex. Witnesses reported feeling headaches and sore throats after breathing air around this broken jar,” according to a police booking affidavit.

The landlord told officers that Giron had been given an eviction notice and had 30 days to leave. After being told he was being evicted, Giron “began sending angry texts to the landlord and had been heard in the apartment complex grounds speaking loudly about using firearms to shoot people in the area. (He) had also made statements implying an unknown individual may soon burn down the apartment complex,” the affidavit states.

Others had also witnessed Giron carrying guns to his vehicle, according to police.

Between Saturday night and Sunday morning, two glass jars were thrown and tenants told police that Giron was playing loud music and “pounding on walls and the ceiling in attempts to harass neighboring units,” according to the affidavit.

When the landlord later attempted to clean up the broken glass he “immediately began to feel sick after using a leaf blower to clear the area. Landlord reported feeling lightheaded, burning skin sensation, sore throat and hot flashes,” police wrote. The landlord went to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray for treatment.

Because police did not know what potential hazardous materials they were dealing with, Unified police’s SWAT team was called out to secure the area and take Giron into custody.

Inside his apartment, officers found guns and “notes on chemical ingredients, combinations and methods to cause harm using these chemicals,” the affidavit alleges.

Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler says the chemical that made people sick was still being tested as of Monday to determine what it is. A total of four people reported being treated at hospitals and released for symptoms such as having a scratchy dry throat and headaches, she said.