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OGDEN — A man who police say broke into a medical clinic in Roy and then tried to attack officers with a knife was shot and killed early Wednesday.
About 1:50 a.m., a man wearing a mask that covered everything but his eyes used a hammer to break a window and enter the Tanner Clinic, 3443 W. 5600 South, Ogden Police Chief Randy Watt said.
Inside the clinic was a woman who was performing her after-hours cleaning duties. The woman heard what was happening and barricaded herself inside a room and called 911, Watt said. The woman stayed on the phone with dispatchers until police arrived.
Officers from Roy and several neighboring jurisdictions, including a K-9 officer from Ogden police, arrived at the scene.
Watt said there was a discussion about calling in a SWAT team. But because the woman was trapped inside the building, the decision was made to immediately enter.
"They were concerned for the safety of the cleaning crew member who was trapped inside the building with the violent suspect," the chief said.
"She was in a terrible situation,” concurred Roy Police Chief Carl Merino.
When officers entered the building, they first confronted the man in a hallway. He was still holding a hammer, Watt said. Officers attempted to use less-than-lethal force, a beanbag gun, but the man did not comply with police orders to surrender and ran off, Watt said.
As officers followed, the man suddenly emerged out of a room — this time holding a knife — and advanced on police, the chief said.
UPDATE: Burglary suspect had a knife and showing "erratic behavior" after breaking into medical building, according to Roy Police. After being shot by an officer he was taken across the parking lot to the emergency room where he was pronounced dead @KSL5TV@kslnewsradio@KSLcompic.twitter.com/hLB9NO981A
— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) July 31, 2019
Because of how close the man was and how quickly the dynamic situation unfolded, Watt said officers "had no choice" but to use their guns.
The Ogden K-9 officer fired several rounds, he said. The chief said investigators also believe a second officer from another jurisdiction also fired his weapon, but that was still being investigated as of Wednesday morning. Merino said no Roy officers fired their weapons.
As the man was shot, the police dog had hold of his leg. The man fell to the ground still holding the knife, Watt said. Officers started performing first aid after he let go of the weapon.
The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries, according to police. Officers found he was in possession of narcotics that he had just stolen from the clinic pharmacy.
No officers were injured. The cleaning woman was also found uninjured.
The Ogden officer was placed on standard paid leave pending the outcome of investigation into the shooting by the Weber County Attorney's Office. Watt said officers were wearing body cameras during the incident.
