Man shot twice by police after pointing BB gun at officer

MURRAY — A man who police say pointed a weapon at them Tuesday was shot twice by a Murray police officer.

The injuries to the 37-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, were not life threatening, said Murray police detective Kenny Bass. The man was being treated at Intermountain Medical Center.

The incident began about 1:30 a.m. when police received a call from a man who said he was suicidal, Bass said. Officers responded to 4543 S. 365 East and found a man outside the house holding what appeared to be a gun. Officers gave the man several commands to put the weapon down.

"He was really non-compliant, he wouldn't talk to them," Bass said.

The man eventually raised his weapon and pointed it at an officer, he said. The officer fired two shots, striking the man in the arm and grazing his torso. The man's weapon turned out to be a BB gun.

The officer who fired the shots was placed on standard paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation and an investigation by the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.

— Pat Reavy

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