An eviction notice delivered on a Friday afternoon escalated into a multi-hour police standoff after a 52-year-old Salt Lake City man told a responding officer that he was armed with a .357 revolver and wanted a gunfight, gephardtdaily.com reported.
Elliott McCleery McCannon Jones was arrested following the confrontation, which prompted authorities to issue a shelter-in-place order and close streets.
According to arrest documents detailed by gephardtdaily.com, the incident began when Jones called the Salt Lake City Police Department to discuss an eviction notice he had received earlier that day. Other involved parties informed responding officers that Jones was experiencing a mental health crisis, acting erratically, and potentially possessing several firearms.
When an officer attempted to reach Jones by phone without success, he visited the residence in person. Court documents state that Jones told the officer he had a gun and instructed him to clear people from the area before he started shooting.
Jones stepped out to his front door multiple times and told the officer he wanted a gunfight, raising his right hand in the shape of a gun and pointing it at law enforcement, gephardtdaily.com reported. After Jones retreated inside, several gunshots rang out in quick succession.
Believing the shots were fired in his direction, the officer called for a surrender, but Jones refused to exit the home. The Salt Lake City Police Department subsequently issued a shelter-in-place order for residents living within a half-mile radius.
Drone footage captured cracks and potential bullet holes in the home’s windows, indicating shots were fired outward toward officers and the public, according to court documents cited by gephardtdaily.com. The Salt Lake City SWAT team responded to the scene, maintaining a multi-hour standoff before taking Jones into custody.
As of Sunday afternoon, Jones did not appear on the inmate roster at the Salt Lake County jail.
The Utah Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-273-TALK or 801-587-3000 for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis.
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