FILE: Police investigate an officer-involved shooting in Ogden on 12th Street and Depot Drive on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. Departments across the state are looking to reduce the times they use force. (Mark Wetzel, Deseret News)
OGDEN — One man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Ogden Tuesday.
Ogden Deputy Chief of Police Eric Young says the suspect was one of three wanted in connection with a string of robberies in Weber and Davis counties.
Woods Cross detectives located a car believed to be stolen by the suspect at an Ogden apartment complex this afternoon. They were being assisted by the Ogden Police Department as detectives surveyed the apartment.
Detectives witnessed the suspect entering the stolen car and subsequently driving away. Police had already placed a device to flatten the suspect’s tires.
The suspect continued to flee police, driving through an intersection at 12th Street and Depot Drive.
Nicole Mark saw police chase the suspect this afternoon. She told the Deseret News that while she was stopped at the intersection of 12th Street and Depot Drive, she saw a white SUV fly by with three squad cars in pursuit of the car.
The suspect ran a red light and struck three cars — one of them a police car.
“It narrowly missed my car and the car behind me,” Mark said.
“The Ogden detective was commanding the suspect to exit the vehicle, and the suspect pointed a gun at the officer,” says Deputy Chief Young. “The officer fired several shots, striking the suspect.”
The 18-year-old suspect was treated at the scene by Ogden fire officials, then taken to McKay-Dee Hospital, where he later died.
“When you heard the gunshot, then it sort of resonated. Like ‘oh my gosh, this is an active shooter situation’,” Mark said. “And that definitely was more alarming than anything.”
Mark told the Deseret News she was a little shaken up for a few minutes because of the traffic crash and then hearing gunshots.
The Weber County Officer Involved Critical Incident Team will independently investigate the incident, per Ogden Police Department policy.
Deputy Chief Young says it is also the policy of the Ogden Police Department to place officers involved in these kinds of incidents on paid administrative leave.
“This is an unfortunate loss of a young man and we empathize with his family, who will be grieving,” said Young.
The identification of the 18-year-old suspect has not yet been released, pending notification of his family.
This story is still developing and will be updated.
Marc Giauque contributed to this report.