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EAGLE MOUNTAIN — Criminal charges were filed Friday against a man accused of shooting his brother-in-law during a family dispute in Eagle Mountain, which eventually lead to a standoff with a SWAT team.
Mark Samuel Roberts, 61, of Eagle Mountain, is charged in 4th District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault and four counts of illegally shooting a gun, third-degree felonies.
On Monday, Roberts, who lives with his sister and her husband, got into an argument with his sister regarding how to care for their elderly father who also lives with them, according to police. Roberts has lived with his sister and their 96-year-old father at their home since July.
"After a heated exchange, (Roberts) became very upset, told (his sister) to 'shut up,' went into his bedroom, picked up a Springfield Armory 1911 .45-caliber handgun and sat down on his bed," charging documents state.
The sister attempted to speak to Roberts through the closed door. Moments later, Roberts opened the door and pointed the gun at his sister's head, according to charging documents.
"(Roberts) fired the handgun through the open door and the bullet passed the side of (his sister's) head. Four seconds later, (Roberts) fired a series of four shots in three seconds that passed through the bedroom wall toward the direction that (the brother-in-law) had gone," the charges state.
As the 72-year-old brother-in-law ran into the front room, Roberts fired a sixth shot that struck the man "in the abdomen and passed through his body, grazing his kidney and spine," according to the charges. "All six shots are heard on video recorded by a neighbor's surveillance camera."
Utah County sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene and found the brother-in-law on the front porch with his sister. Deputies then went into the house and got the elderly father out. The brother-in-law was taken to Utah Valley Hospital by medical helicopter in fair condition.
Roberts retreated to his room and a SWAT team was called out. About three hours after deputies first arrived, Roberts surrendered without further incident.
