Man shot, killed by police after firing on officers — the 4th Utah police shooting death in 5 days
Jan 4, 2025, 8:04 AM | Updated: 9:27 am
A South Jordan police vehicle is pictured in South Jordan on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. (Steve Griffin, Deseret News)
(Steve Griffin, Deseret News)
SOUTH JORDAN — The South Jordan Police Department said a man got into a shootout with officers after police responded to a vehicle theft on Friday night. The suspect was taken to a hospital, where he died.
A press release from the South Jordan Police Department said the incident started near the area of 9400 South 4600 West at 10:23 p.m. Friday.
“Officers on scene made contact with a male inside a vehicle. The subject fired at officers and officers returned fire,” the release said.
Police said the man then fled on foot, and was later found in a backyard nearby. The release said “multiple agencies” closed in on him.
“During the second interaction with the subject more shots were fired. The subject was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for treatment, where he died,” the release said.
The South Jordan Police Department didn’t say if anybody else was injured during the shooting.
The department said the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave while an officer-involved critical incident team investigates the shooting.
This was the fourth police shooting death in Utah in just five days.
- On Monday, Nathan Paul, 43, was shot by police in West Point, Weber County, who were responding to a domestic violence incident at a home near 670 N. and 2300 West. Family members told officers that Paul “was possibly suffering a mental health episode.” A Davis County sheriff’s deputy and Clinton police officers responded and said they discovered that Paul was armed. “Attempts to deescalate the situation both verbally and with two nonlethal options were ineffective. As the situation developed, two Clinton officers discharged their weapons, striking the suspect,” police said.
- On Wednesday, West Valley police responded to 3310 W. Enterado Ave. and discovered the bodies of Terri Bertelsen, 63, and her husband, Kerry Bertelsen, 67. They also encountered the couple’s adult son, Erik Bartelsen, 35, and he was shot and killed by police “during an encounter.”
- Police shot and killed a man in Riverton early Friday who was wanted in connection with an arson investigation in Salt Lake City. Police say Tanner Merril Cottrell, 27, fired multiple rounds at officers while leading police on a chase from Orem to North Salt Lake to Riverton that started late Thursday. He was shot by officers from six police agencies after the chase ended in a crash at 124000 S. Redwood.
Contributing: Collin Leonard, KSL.com.
This is a breaking news story. It may be updated.
