Last remaining hospitalized Ogden officer remains fair; police departments continuing to heal

OGDEN — The last officer who is still hospitalized after being shot while investigating a suspected marijuana grower remained in fair condition Wednesday.

A short statement from McKay-Dee Hospital Center noted there was no change in the condition of Ogden police officer Kasey Burrell. Four others have been released from hospital care and still, others continue to be impacted by the emotion of the Jan. 4 shooting incident that killed one officer and injured five more.

Police chiefs involved in the ongoing investigation of the shooting are eager to get their teams back together, but not before allowing officers whatever time they need to heal.

"The funeral service and procession to the cemetery (last week) was a clear reflection that the community does care," said interim Ogden Police Chief Wayne Tarwater. Officers, he said, know they have the support of fellow law enforcement, but knowing they have support from the community is helping them to continue doing their jobs.

Still, morale is at "an all-time high," Tarwater said.

Officers in Ogden and Roy, who were involved in the shooting incident, are on leave until they can be cleared of any wrong-doing. In the meantime, surrounding agencies have been stepping in to help wherever needed — including on the Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force, which served the warrant to the home of Matthew Stewart the night gunshots rang out.

Stewart surprised the officers after they entered his house and opened fire "from a concealed position" with a Beretta 9mm semiautomatic pistol, according to a police affidavit. He allegedly continued firing at police, even after they had left his house. The shootout continued as Stewart fled to a backyard shed where he eventually surrendered after being shot multiple times.

Ogden police officer Jared Francom was killed in the incident. Burrell was one of five officers injured. At least one of the injured officers arrived as backup after the initial shootings and was trying to get other officers to safety when he, too, was shot.

Roy Police Chief Greg Whinham is hoping his officer injured during the shootout, Jason VanderWarf, will be back on the job "pretty quickly."

VanderWarf was shot in the hip after entering Stewart's house along with members of the strike force.

Whinham said that in addition to being cleared to return to work following an internal report of the incident, VanderWarf must also be cleared by a doctor, and have in place a good support system for the officer's mental well being.