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FARMINGTON — A Salt Lake City police officer who shot and killed a man who investigators say held a Farmington family hostage in their home for nearly seven hours in September was justified in using deadly force, the Davis County Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.
Joseph Anthony Manhard, 32, was shot and killed by a sniper with the Salt Lake City Police Department's SWAT team who was on scene assisting Farmington police, the Davis County Sheriff's Office and other agencies during the nearly seven-hour standoff. He was shot Sept. 10 as he stepped out of the house.
Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings on Wednesday found the officer was legally justified in using deadly force.
Prior to breaking into the house and holding the family hostage, police say Manhard was involved in a carjacking, almost hit an officer while fleeing, and fired shots into a second home. No one in that home was injured.
Police chased Manhard from Clearfield to Farmington where he found an open basement window at 1645 S. Tuscany Grove Circle. There were initially five people inside the house when Manhard entered. But one of the daughters was able to get out of the house right away through a basement window. A short time later, Manhard allowed the father of the family to leave, "so he could go to work," according to a search warrant affidavit.
Once outside the home, the two family members contacted police, who were already searching the area, and directed them toward their house where Manhard continued to hold the mother of the family, her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend hostage at gunpoint, the warrant states.
Those family members later told police that Manhard took drugs while inside the home and appeared to be high as he held them hostage.
After the incident was over, family members praised all law enforcers at the scene including the Salt Lake SWAT officer.
"To our law enforcement, it's with tears streaming down my face that I THANK YOU for your diligence in what seemed to be eternity," the mother wrote. "YOU saved our lives. There are no words to adequately express my sincere gratitude for you now and forever. We are blessed," the homeowner stated on Facebook.
"We are so grateful for the police, SWAT, and the crisis hotline," one of the daughters added in another post. "We are especially grateful to the brave man who saved our lives in the end."
Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown released a prepared statement Wednesday following Rawlings' decision, praising the actions of his officer.
"Our officer made a difficult decision, relying on his training and experience, in a fraction of a second to save the lives of those being held hostage by a complete stranger. There is no other way to put it – his actions were heroic. He is a dedicated public servant, and I am proud he is among our ranks. I would like to thank Davis County District Attorney Rawlings and the investigating detectives for their comprehensive review on this case."
