CEDAR CITY — Police officers reporting to a call of “shots fired” Sunday night in the 100 West block of Sunset Drive ended up pursuing the suspect for a short time before the man shot himself.
According to a press release from the Cedar City Police Department, at approximately 10:38 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Sunset Drive regarding a report of “shots fired.” Initial information was given that a male had been shot and the suspect’s whereabouts were unknown.
As officers arrived on scene, they found a 47-year-old male, Jeremey Hunter, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect, Chaz Bennett, a 26-year-old male, had fled on foot.
Officers started looking in the area and located Bennett a few blocks from the initial scene, the press release states, adding that as the officers attempted to contact him, they “clearly could see he had two rifles.”
As officers were commanding Bennett to drop the guns, he fled on foot for a short distance before he shot himself. Officers secured the weapons and started rendering aid. Bennett was transported to the hospital by ambulance and later flown to another hospital by Life Flight with life-threatening injuries.
“The Cedar City Police Department extends our deepest sympathies to the families involved,” Cedar City Police Department Sgt. Clint Pollock said in the press release. “The Cedar City Police Department extends our appreciation to the other agencies that responded and assisted; Cedar City Fire Department, Gold Cross Ambulance, and Iron County Sheriff’s Office.”
The motive for the shooting is unknown currently, and Pollock said it is still an active and ongoing investigation.
“We will release more information as it becomes available.”
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.