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SALT LAKE CITY — Police captured a fugitive Wednesday night, who's been on the run since last weekend.
Salt Lake City officers found John Samora, 21, at his family's home, in the area of 1200 West and 500 South. They say he surrendered peacefully.
Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies had been looking for Samora since Saturday, May 19. That's when Unified Police Department says he tried to run down an officer in Kearns while trying to avoid arrest.
Samora is also accused of leading officers on on a high-speed chase. But when he reached high speeds and ran red lights, the officers called the chase off.
"Runnign from the police, ramming the police — yes, we felt he's a dangerous individual and he's someone we actively went after," said Salt Lake City Police Sgt. Andrew Jackson.
But Samora's family says he is innocent. They were emotional Wednesday night as they gathered outside the house to console one anther.
Family members said young children were in the home and were scared when police came to arrest their brother. They also said Samora was planning to turn himself in Wednesday night anyway.
Samora's brother claims the actions Samora took were in self-defense.
"He fears for his life, like anybody else would," Fernando Samora said. "It's either fight or flight, and he ran like anybody else would that has a gun pulled on them."
He's not a dangerous person," Fernando Samora continued. "You know, they make him out to be a killer, and it's not even what they make it seem."
John Samora was booked into jail following his arrest.
