Utah police officer shot and killed

A veteran police officer from Utah was shot and killed on Sunday by a suspect who was himself later slain by police. The incident was after a car crash investigation turned deadly, with authorities saying that the man had fled the scene of the accident. Another officer involved in the altercation was undergoing surgery on Sunday evening after being shot three times; once in the torso and twice in the legs

Barney Douglas, an 18-year veteran of the Salt Lake County Unified Police Department and a father of three, was shot in the head in Holladay on Sunday morning and rushed to a hospital. He was initially listed as being in critical condition but died a few hours later due to the injuries. Salt Lake County Sheriff, Jim Winder, announced the tragic news on Sunday evening.

Police are also in pursuit of a woman who was also involved in the incident, and it is yet unclear if she is armed or not. Residents were advised to shelter indoors. “We do not know who she is as of yet. I understand she is a white female with blonde hair, and that’s about all that I have,” said Lt. Lex Bell, a police spokesman.

Bell said that investigators were yet to determine what led to the confrontation.

On Sunday morning, at 11:51 a.m., an officer stumbled across a non-fatal accident. Cory Lee Henderson, the suspect who was later killed, and an unidentified woman were riding in a BMW 3-series sedan that was involved in the crash. According to the police, the occupants of the other car involved were seriously injured, and the two (Henderson and the unidentified woman) had fled the scene of the accident on foot.

Barney and other police officers were dispatched to pursue the suspects. At around 11:58 a.m., other cops found Barney, who had been shot just a few blocks from the scene of the accident. Winder said that Henderson had fired the shot that eventually killed Barney. The officers also encountered Henderson, who was on foot. That is when gunfire erupted between the police and Henderson. A resident said that he heard a gunshot and saw a police officer lying on the driveway.

Henderson was shot and killed at the scene, and one other officer, Jon Richey, suffered three gunshot wounds. The woman fled the scene, and the search is ongoing to find her. According to eyewitnesses, she stumbled and fell as she was fleeing, so it is possible that she may have been injured.

Bell told the residents to stay in place and remain indoors if they could.

“I know there may be people traveling from church, which is okay, but if they could at all help it, try to limit their being outside. We’re going to have police canines in the area and helicopters. The more we can eliminate interference by these other people, and concentrate on the one person we’re looking for, it makes it a lot easier,” he added.