Police: Man shot, killed by officers after shooting gun in street, entering Magna home

MAGNA — A man was shot and killed by officers Wednesday morning after police say he was firing a gun in a Magna street before he entered a home with a woman inside.

Sgt. Melody Cutler with the Unified Police Department said they received several 911 calls saying the man, later identified as Joseph Dean Black, was randomly shooting a long gun in the area of 3400 S. 7615 West just after midnight.

Officers responded to the area and saw Black walking in the street before he entered a home with a woman inside.

Police were initially concerned about a potential hostage situation, according to Cutler, so SWAT officers were notified of the situation. Wednesday afternoon, police said the home Black entered was his and the woman involved was his adult daughter.

As SWAT officers were heading to the scene, both Black and his daughter came out of the house. Cutler said Black shot his gun and his daughter dropped to the ground. Officers believed she had been shot and they returned fire, killing Black.

Cutler said the woman was not shot and was not injured in the incident.

“What’s happening now is there will be an investigation,” Cutler said. “The team will come out here, they’ll collect all the evidence, interview all the witnesses, check for video surveillance.”

Officers from several agencies were involved in the shooting, and the officer-involved critical incident investigation is being led by the Salt Lake City Police Department.

KSL TV spoke to a neighbor who said he is concerned after having a shooting happen so close to his home.

“It makes me feel insecure,” Bankhead said. “It makes me feel… a long rifle will go through walls, go through windows. The bad thing about it, unfortunately, bullets hit innocent people.”