From Deseret News archives:
Off-duty Ogden officer who helped end shooting spree receives high praise
Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank at a Tuesday press conference called the officer's action heroic.
"There's no question his quick actions saved the lives of numerous other people. ... The heroic acts of this individual officer going in and engaging the suspect who was well armed and prepared to engage him, without having benefit of the uniform, extra equipment, ... is truly heroic."
Burbank said it was "basically a shootout" between the Ogden officer and the gunman.
Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner said the officer, whose name has not been released, has been with the department for six or seven years. Greiner said although the gunman, described as an 18-year-Bosnian immigrant shot at the officer, the officer was not injured. Greiner said the officer's wife was shaken, but is doing OK.
"It's understandable, there was considerable carnage."
Greiner said that upon hearing Monday night of the deadly shooting at Trolley Square, a three-member team from Ogden Police was sent to Salt Lake.
That team met with Salt Lake investigators and ferried the officer and his wife home because the couple's car was impounded.
Greiner said officer involved has children, but he was at Trolley Square Monday night only with his wife. Although Greiner said he has not yet talked to the officer involved, he said when he does, he will say, "Thanks for being prepared."
Ogden police officers have the option of carrying weapons off duty, Greiner said, "just for this very reason."
But he stopped short of saying he had a sense of pride about the officer's actions.
"You don't want to ever say it's good that we were there to kill somebody but the reality of it is, it is probably a situation where it was very fortuitous that somebody was there," Greiner said.
It is not clear what weapon the officer was carrying, since department policy allows off-duty officers to carry a weapon of their own choosing. Greiner said department policy calls for an officer involved in a shooting to be put on leave with pay pending an investigation. That usually takes three or four weeks, he said.
The Senate is planning some sort of recognition for the officer, said Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem.
E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com; lisa@desnews.com
Comments
- NFL: Week 12 recap 12:50 a.m.
- '12 Days' bill would top $87K 12:35 a.m.
- Study finds autism therapy works 12:35 a.m.
- Boy shot following traffic stop 12:35 a.m.
- Sports on the air 12:24 a.m.
- Herbert builds his team of rivals 12:21 a.m.
- Corroon a step closer to governor 12:21 a.m.
- Monday on TV 12:18 a.m.
- Editorial: East, West and religion 12:17 a.m.
- A deficit commission? 12:17 a.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Credit Coug defense for win
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Cougar defense rose to occasion
- Banged up Jazz get best of Blazers
- Jones' joy for life remembered
- Fantasy is reality for BYU professor
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
869 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
473 - Max Hall issues apology
145 - BYU is champion of the state
137 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
117 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
116 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
90 - Hall's legacy measured today
79 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
68 - Utes fall to Seattle U. at home
65
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
I find it interesting that many of the same people who say that we can't...
None of these teams is going to be easy. They all have fine football...
Max, no apology was necessary, but the apology was polically correct. If...
Very good piece of writing, Amy. You summarized what many of us have been...
How is a top 25 finish make Utah a top twenty team? I think what the poster...
90% of the BYU & Utah fans have class, and Hall knows it. If you don't...
This might be my favorite article I've ever read from the Deseret News. Kudos.
Thank you for not giving up and don't give up now brother and sister...
Dr. Lois Lee's work with children who are victims of child sexual...
Look at the preview for Pixar's "Up". The whole move is summarized in...



You can be the first to comment on this story.