Slain man had a long criminal history

OGDEN — Jessie Turnbow's confrontation with police ended 11 years of violent criminal history, which included stints in prison and cautions issued by parole officers over his "violent tendencies" and long-standing gang membership.

Witnesses said Turnbow turned to officers with their guns drawn and shouted "Shoot me!" opening fire on them with a sawed-off shotgun. He was killed in a shootout with Ogden police.

"They said it two or three times, 'Drop the gun. Drop the gun.' Then all of a sudden, he said 'Shoot me!' Then we heard the shotgun go boom," said Esther Green, a roofer who was working on a nearby home when the shots were fired.

Ogden police officers shot and killed Turnbow, 29, in what turned into a shootout Monday night here at the intersection of 35th Street and Jefferson Avenue.

"I heard the shots and I came running and I seen the police shooting the guy," said neighbor Esmerelda Castio. "When I come outside to see, the man was dead."

Others reported hearing several shotgun blasts and return pistol fire from Ogden police officers.

"When they were all shooting, all of them at the same time, that's when we hit the floor," said Sarah Powell. "It was scary. It was really scary."

Here in this neighborhood, blood is on the ground by a tree where Turnbow's body fell. Behind the tree, four bullet holes are in the side of a car. Cars were hit with shotgun pellets. There are pieces of the grill and lights of a police squad car that took the brunt of the blasts.

"Multiple rounds were fired by both the officers and the suspect," Ogden Police Lt. Scott Conley said Tuesday.

Police would not say how many shots were fired, but many witnesses told the Deseret Morning News they counted "dozens."

The Ogden Police Department was releasing few details of the shooting, pending an internal investigation and a review of the officers' actions by the Weber County attorney. Three Ogden cops have now been placed on paid administrative leave, which is routine any time a weapon is fired.

Police said that around 5:45 p.m. Monday, they were called on an argument involving a weapon on the 3400 block of Adams Avenue.

"He and my sister were just arguing," said Misty Vigil, who was at Turnbow's home at the time. "I'm not even sure what they were arguing about."

Vigil said she did not see a weapon, nor does she believe Turnbow was suicidal.