A domestic dispute in Utah turned spiraled into chaos on Sunday night, leaving two officers dead, a sheriff’s deputy injured, and even a K-9 struck by gunfire.
Domestic dispute ends with violence against police
Law enforcement said the deadly domestic dispute unfolded in Tremonton, roughly 70 miles north of Salt Lake City, when officers responded to a string of 911 hang-up calls from a home.
What began as a standard welfare check quickly escalated into one of the darkest days the local department has ever faced.
According to investigators, a lone officer from the Tremonton-Garland Police Department was the first to arrive at the residence.
While speaking to someone inside the house, the suspect, who officials say lived at the property, suddenly came outside armed.
“The male opened fire on the officer, striking and killing the officer,” police revealed in a statement.
Before backup could stabilize the scene, a second officer from the department tried to assist his colleague.
That officer was met with immediate gunfire from the same suspect and was also killed, authorities confirmed.
The bloodshed continued when a Box Elder County sheriff’s deputy and his service dog arrived to provide backup.
Before they could even step out of their patrol car, both were hit by bullets.
Domestic dispute leads to two police deaths and two injuries
Brigham City Police Chief Cade Reyes described the events at a press briefing on Monday.
Reyes confirmed the deputy received medical care at a hospital and was later released, while the K-9 was rushed to a veterinary clinic and is recovering.
“After firing on these three officers and the police service dog, the suspect was convinced to put down his weapon by a bystander and he was taken into custody by additional responding officers,” the police statement noted.
Despite the carnage, it was not tactical teams or gunfire that ended the standoff, it was a civilian on the ground.
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Authorities say a bystander courageously persuaded the shooter to drop his weapon, allowing police to apprehend him without further violence.
Following the arrest, SWAT units cleared the residence to ensure there was no additional danger to the community.
The suspect is now facing aggravated murder charges, though police have not released his identity or that of the fallen officers.
“These officers are definitely heroes,” Reyes said solemnly. He added that calls involving domestic disputes remain some of the most volatile situations officers can face.
“We don’t know what we’re walking into. They are one of the most dangerous events we can be dispatched on,” Reyes explained.
“These officers have been doing this. They took an oath to protect and serve their communities and that’s what they were doing, and they knew the dangers going into this and unfortunately they paid the ultimate price.”
A statement from the department echoed the grief, reading, “Tragedies like these rock an entire community, state and even nation. These officers and their families served theirs every day, and they will forever be remembered as heroes.”
Maui officer killed in the line of duty
The Utah shooting came just days after another deadly confrontation claimed the life of a police officer nearly 3,000 miles away.
On Friday, a Maui police officer was fatally shot while responding to reports of gunfire near an old sugar mill in Paia, a small town along the island’s northern coast.
Police confirmed that 38-year-old Clembert Kaneholani was taken into custody following the incident. The officer, whose name has not been released, was struck in the chest during the exchange.
“The Maui Police Department is deeply saddened to confirm that earlier this evening, one of our officers was fatally injured in an officer-involved shooting,” the agency wrote in a statement.
“This is a tragic loss for our department and our community. Out of respect for the officer’s family and loved ones, we are not releasing further details at this time.”
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier shared that officers were answering an “illegal shooting call” when they confronted Kaneholani, who allegedly opened fire with a rifle.
“Our officer suffered a round in her chest area. Officers returned fire. The subject was shot in the lower hip area and is in custody,” Pelletier told Hawaii News Now.
Calling her “the finest of us,” Pelletier praised the fallen officer as a hero both to the department and to the community.
“This is an absolute tragedy. This is a dark day in the history of the Maui Police Department and our community.”
Court records reveal Kaneholani’s criminal history stretches back at least two decades.
His first arrest occurred in 2005 for fourth-degree theft. Over the years, he accumulated multiple convictions ranging from contempt of court and disorderly conduct to more severe firearm-related felonies.
In 2015, he was charged with first-degree theft of a firearm and several counts of possessing a loaded weapon in an improper place.
As a convicted felon, Kaneholani was prohibited from legally owning firearms.
In 2018, he faced harassment and disorderly conduct charges that were ultimately dismissed.
Beyond those cases, he also racked up numerous traffic violations and even had a domestic abuse petition filed against him in 2010.
Authorities said Kaneholani is currently being held without bail on charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder, multiple weapons violations, and possession of ammunition as a felon.
