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MILLCREEK — Police say a man who allegedly punched a 6-year-old boy and then fired several shots at the boy and his father was “heavily intoxicated.”
Richard Martin Lindem, 61, of Millcreek, was arrested Sunday for investigation of aggravated assault, child abuse, reckless endangerment, and three counts of felony discharge of a firearm.
About 3:10 p.m., two young brothers, ages 6 and 9, were riding small motorcycles in their neighborhood when they were approached by Lindem. Lindem then punched the 6-year-old in the head, according to a Salt Lake County Jail booking affidavit. The boy was wearing a helmet at the time.
The boys’ father, Chris Ollerton, who was waxing his car in his driveway nearby, saw the attack.
“He approached and stopped them and I heard some yelling. (I) stopped and came around the corner to see what was going on. And that’s when I walked out just in time to see the man punch my 6-year-old,” he said.
At that point, Ollerton began sprinting toward Lindem and said he “had every intention of tackling the guy and beating the crap out of him, to be honest.”
But as he got closer, he noticed Lindem was trying to pull something out of his waistband. He “drew a small black handgun from his waist and pointed it” at the father, the affidavit states.
With a gun now being pointed directly at him, Ollerton said he changed his mindset from “attacking the guy to defusing the situation.”
Ollerton yelled to his boys to go back to the house, lock the doors and call police. The father then tried to keep an eye on Lindem and pulled out his cellphone to begin recording the situation. But he said that seemed to further irritate Lindem who then fired a shot.
Ollerton began running backward to his house, and two more shots were fired.
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Police: Utah man assaulted child, shot at a dad in neighborhood confrontation
Police arrested a man Sunday who they said assaulted a child riding a bike and shot at a child’s father, and then barricaded himself inside his home.“I’m 100% confident he was trying to hit me,” he said.
No one was injured.
When police arrived, a neighbor told officers that her home surveillance camera had recorded the confrontation.
“Investigators reviewed the surveillance which clearly shows the male approach (the boy) and punch him in the head area. (The boy) was observed wearing a riding helmet,” the affidavit states.
Lindem barricaded himself inside his home, near 4100 S. 300 East, and a SWAT team was called out to surround the residence.
At least one gunshot was heard from inside the house as SWAT officers were getting in place, said Unified police detective Kevin Mallory.
After more than five hours, the standoff ended with Lindem being taken safely into custody.
“Richard was found to be heavily intoxicated when contact was made with him,” the affidavit states.
Lindem has no prior criminal history in Utah, according to court records.
Contributing: Paul Nelson
