Reader comments
Salt Lake deputies kill man firing shotgun

here today gone | 5:09 p.m. June 26, 2009

tommorrow don't mess with swat!

Gene Davis | 5:02 a.m. June 27, 2009

I'm an American living in the Philippines. I wish law enforcement here did their job as well as they do there back home. GOOD JOB!!!

Sad | 6:28 a.m. June 27, 2009

What a sad story.

Comments continue below

Suicide by cop hurts many | 7:38 a.m. June 27, 2009

Thank you to the officers who had to do their job to protect us.

If cowardly nut jobs want to die, let them take care of it by themselves and not place a burden if guilt or doubt on a police officer. He also traumatized his neighbors in the process.

Unfortunately, publicity about this sort of incident inspires copycats.

Cindy | 9:37 a.m. June 27, 2009

I was patronizing a business just over the wall from the apartments when the first shot was fired. We heard it, and soon the police vehicles arrived. It was amazing the response, and how terrible the tragedy of this man's life. We all need to look out for each other, and try to do things to reach out when we see someone in distress, before it reaches this point.

It is | 9:40 a.m. June 27, 2009

too bad when someone thinks that the only way out is to be killed by a cop. I take off my hat to our Officers for putting themselves in harms way to protect the public, but I also think that it is time for all branches of government out there to aggressively promote more education to the general public about resources out there that available to anyone who feels like he or she is at a life and death emotional roller coaster.

Bob W | 9:43 a.m. June 27, 2009

I'm glad this apparently unpredictable and dangerous person was prevented from injuring or killing others. I thank those officers who responded so quickly.

A note to the reporter: I object to the erroneous reference to "fully automatic machine guns"--this is just some sensationalistic journalism. SWAT teams commonly use sub-machines that fire pistol ammo, or rifles and carbines with selective semi- and full-auto capabilities. Heavier caliber rifles are limited to sharpshooting. There were no machine guns like the M-249 or M-240 involved. This isn't some militia shootout in downtown Mogadishu. Consult the AP Style Guide and a talk a firearms subject matter expert next time please!

Definitely | 10:22 a.m. June 27, 2009

Suicide by cop. Sad day when the cops have to end the life of an out of control person. Well done, officers.

Hollywood | 11:04 a.m. June 27, 2009

Well, at least Huntzinger didn't take family or neighbors with him. Sounds like he was doing just enough to get the officers to kill him.

Suicide by cop is sad, but this one was done properly. Good job by the SWAT team and other police officers.

Chris | 12:46 p.m. June 27, 2009

Cindy, I have a distant relative who is just as mentally ill and dangerous as Huntzinger. I've tried everything to get this person committed to a mental institution, but Utah law requires that I (or someone else) can PROVE that they are a danger to themselves or others. Often, it takes a shooting like this to show the general public how many dangerous folks there are who need help. We need to change our state laws so that those who are seriously mentally ill, ie. psychotic schizophrenics with violent intentions, can get some treatment.

Officer Jim Winder | 2:42 p.m. June 27, 2009

You talk about agressive, SWAT is over used with abuse on the Citizens in Utah.
Utah is a sick State, Cops with a quality of agressive action.
How many lies are being told to justify these actions by the Cops?

Sandi | 4:31 p.m. June 27, 2009

Winder: maybe you need to hear from the neighbors, who were in the line of fire, and who know what the police did. What a stupid statement you made.

Re: Officer Winder | 4:46 p.m. June 27, 2009

I doubt you are a police officer. If you work in law enforcement, I suspect it's behind a desk. I wonder how you would do protecting the public if you found your self facing an armed, deranged man shooting at us.

Jeff | 5:18 p.m. June 27, 2009

Hey Bob, even an MP-5 is a machine gun.......

janette | 6:20 p.m. June 27, 2009

I worked with George about 12 years ago. He was a good person. My prayers are with his family. He was not like this when I worked with him. He was cheerful and good to his co-workers. I'm sorry things became so unstable in his life.

No... | 6:32 p.m. June 27, 2009

an MP-5 is a Sub Machine Gun.

However the shell casings being referred to in the article were .223 rounds likely from an M-16 or AR-15, both of which are assault rifles, but are not referred to as "Machine Guns", even in fully automatic mode. Local news channels had footage of the casings.

Mike | 6:35 p.m. June 27, 2009

Jeff an MP-5 is definately NOT a "machine gun". Bob is correct.

Dr Ann Blake Tracy | 1:23 a.m. June 28, 2009

Chris: You speak of changing laws so that those like George Huntzinger can get "treatment". But the problem is that George and most like him have generally received "treatment" via drugs that are little different than what we call illegal drugs.

The term "suicide by cop" did not even exist before the SSRI antidepressants were introduced to the market. We now have warnings that those drugs produce suicidal thoughts at 2 to 3 times normal.

The antidepressant label lists "suicidal ideation" (a fixation of compulsion for suicide) as a side effect.

Clearly George Huntzinger was focused on and determined to die or in other words, suffering suicidal ideation. This is evidence that he had already been "treated" by the drugs that caused his behavior and, therefore, his death.

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, Executive Director,
International Coalition for Drug Awareness
www.drugawareness.org & www.ssristories.com

Gary | 1:34 p.m. June 28, 2009

Dr. Tracy's comments are darn near the only ones here that (a) make sense; and (b) matter. This man was not schizophrenic or psychotic by any normal definition. He was indeed a good man, a father of five, who had a Masters in Social Work. He volunteered at the VA Medical Center. In his personal life, he was a minimalist whose greatest joy seemed to be in doing good for others. He would not have knowingly hurt another human being. Unfortunately, he was an alcoholic, to an extent even his closest friends may not have recognized, and had fairly recently been through rehab. He also suffered chronic pain from a back disorder, and meds may have been involved. This disorder resulted in a very unfair forced disability retirement from the VA Regional Office many years ago. Oh, he was also a Navy veteran who served his country with honor during the Vietnam War. He loved his wife, and the pending divorce, which no reasonable person could fault, undoubtedly produced despondency. Judge not lest ye be judged. He was as normal as you are, and this could happen to anyone. Oh yes it could.

Saia | 12:07 p.m. June 29, 2009

Dang.. Thats my uncle in that picture. He's fricken huge holding the M4 in his hand. Located in the Second picture the big brown guy he's tongan.. He's the Champion

Sad story, again....and again | 1:02 p.m. June 29, 2009

Let's see:
Pending Divorce, Alcohol, and most likely taking taking a "safe" medication that would never have a serious side-effect.

Thanks Dr. Tracy.
Glad to see you're keeping your eye on the ball.

miss s | 11:53 a.m. July 7, 2009

george was a friend of mine, I will miss him, he was a good man, who had some bad demons . I will miss you george,

I MISS MY UNCLE | 4:04 p.m. Sept. 30, 2009

GEORGE WAS MY UNCLE AND I KNEW HIM MY WHOLE LIFE HIM AND MY AUNT LOVED EACH OTHER AND WE ALL HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS MY UNCLE WAS A VERY KIND HONEST LOVING CARING PERSON WHO LOST HIS WHOLE WORLD AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO HE WAS NOT CRAZY HE HAD NOTHING OR NOBODY TO RUN TO AND SO HE LOST TOUCH WITH REALITY AND DID A VERY BAD THING JUST ANOTHER LOST SOUL EVERYONE NEEDS FORGIVNESS !!!!!

I LOVE YOU AND REST IN PEACE

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