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OGDEN — An Ogden police officer injured in a shooting Tuesday has been released from the hospital.
The officer was injured and another man was killed during a shootout Tuesday afternoon at the Washington Park apartment complex at 170 N. Washington Boulevard, near Ogden-Weber Technical College, after police responded to a protective order violation, Ogden Deputy Chief Jake Sube said.
Box Elder County officials on social media asked residents to help them welcome the officer home in Brigham City on Wednesday afternoon. Photos of the event showed emergency vehicles and residents lined up near a fire station, carrying flags and signs offering well wishes to the officer who was shot in the arm.
"I hope that he knows that he's got the community's support. He's never alone," said Shawnee Jaramillo, who said she is friends with the officer. "He's a strong person. He's resilient. He's brave. It was exciting to know that he was going to be OK."
Sube said Tuesday the officer encountered a man with a gun upon arriving to the area and an exchange of gunfire ensued, causing additional officers to quickly respond to the scene.
Police have not disclosed the extent of the officer's injuries. Ogden police did not provide an update on the case Wednesday, nor have they released the names of the officer or the man killed.
Sube on Tuesday called the situation "highly chaotic and rapidly evolving," which he said led to multiple rounds being fired by multiple officers and the suspect. Multiple shots could be heard being fired in civilian video footage taken near the scene of the shooting.
The Weber-Morgan Critical Incident Task Force will conduct an investigation into the shooting, Sube said. In accordance with Ogden police protocol, all officers directly involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the investigation.
"We are committed to ensuring comprehensive, unbiased and transparent investigation," Sube said Tuesday. "We understand that incidents like these can be unsettling for our community and we are committed to maintaining open lines of communication throughout the investigation. We will provide updates as new information is available."
"Additionally, on behalf of myself and Chief Eric Young, who is traveling right now, we want to recognize the immense bravery displayed by all officers who responded to this incident for the bravery they displayed," Sube added. "They faced significant danger and acted swiftly and decisively to protect the public. Their actions demonstrated professionalism and courage that our officers exhibit every day."
Rodney and Kayla, residents at the apartment complex who were with their infant son at the time the shooting happened, told KSL-TV that they initially thought the shots were fireworks. The couple declined to provide their last name.
"I think I was more scared because I did have my son with me," Kayla said. "And so my main focus was just to get down and protect him."
However, the couple quickly realized the gravity of the situation when they looked out their home windows and saw police officers in their front and back yards.
"It was crazy ... My car got hit. There's bullet holes in my car," Rodney said, adding that Kayla saw the cops first. "When she told me that, I turned around and that's when I saw a cop jump the fence and start shooting. So I was like, 'Whoa, get down and just try to hide.'"
Police officers asked Ogden-Weber Technical College to issue a shelter-in-place order for about an hour after shooting, college President Jim Taggart told KSL. He said police did not notify the college about the nature of the incident but said that it was near the college entrance and an adjacent apartment complex. He said he was not aware of any students who had been injured; school was not in session when the shooting happened.
