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SALT LAKE CITY — Two people were arrested Monday following a six-hour standoff that included shots fired at police officers, which forced the evacuation of a downtown hotel, police said.
John Rockne Mendenhall, 47, of South Salt Lake, and Shelby Irina McDougal, 21, of Taylorsville, were arrested for investigation of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of weapon by a restricted person and obstruction of justice.
The wild series of events began about 12:15 a.m. when officers responded to a 911 hangup call made from a room at the Rodeway Inn, 616 S. 200 West, said Salt Lake Police Sgt. Brandon Shearer. It was not immediately known who called 911 and hung up.
When officers arrived, "the people in the room refused to open the door," Shearer said.
At that point, the hotel manager decided to evict the two occupants from the room. But when he attempted to open the door with his key, multiple shots were fired, Shearer said.
The sergeant did not know Monday if one or both occupants in the room fired shots or if they fired at the door the manager tried to open.
The officers and the manager took cover, and a SWAT team was called. Two buses from the Utah Transit Authority were brought to the evacuated hotel to keep other guests warm and out of harm's way during the standoff.
After failing to persuade the occupants to surrender, tear gas was launched into the room sometime between 6 and 6:30 a.m. That prompted additional shots to be fired from inside the room toward the officers outside, Shearer said.
Police did not say how many people fired shots, how many shots were fired or where the shots ended up.
Officers forced entry into the hotel room shortly after and were "able to take them into custody," Shearer said. No one was injured in the incident.
Suspects in custody now say @slcpd after the suspects fired shots and police dispatched tear gas @KSL5TV#KSLAMpic.twitter.com/yBkH8HW9K9
— Derek Petersen (@Derek_Photog) January 9, 2017
Shearer did not know Monday how long Mendenhall and McDougal had been staying at the hotel, how many weapons were seized or if any other evidence was collected by police from the room.
Mendenhall has an extensive criminal history, according to court records. He was charged in December with theft and in August with theft pursuant to a rental agreement.
Mendenhall pleaded guilty to felony drug possession in 2014, attempted theft by deception in 2013, attempted forgery and theft by deception in 2006, and communications fraud in 2006.
McDougal was convicted of obstruction of justice and had an escape from custody charge dismissed last year. She was convicted of attempted forgery in one case in 2014 and attempted drug possession in another.
McDougal was also convicted of sexual battery in 2014, according to court records.
