On May 3, in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, two National Park Service (NPS) officers were involved in a vehicle chase that ended in a shootout and the arrest of a suspect.
The officers were treated for minor injuries, and the suspect was treated for a non-lethal gunshot wound. On May 23, NPS released the bodycam footage of the incident. The incident is still under investigation.
“A word of caution,” the press release about the body cam footage warns. “This video of an officer-involved shooting contains graphic content and strong language. Viewer discretion is advised.”
Car Chase Ends in Shootout
Around 8 p.m., May 3, the suspect — driving a white truck with Idaho plates — was approached by an NPS law enforcement vehicle near the junction of Lone Rock Beach Access Road. A park visitor had called 911 earlier in the evening to report that this person had been acting erratically and appeared to be “either drunk or on drugs.”
Upon locating the truck, NPS law enforcement officers realized there was already an “Attempt to Locate” posted for this individual who had been trying to break into cars near Page, Ariz., and may have also been “in possession of a machete,” according to NPS. As the NPS officer approached the driver’s side window, the man was speaking incoherently and waving his arms outside of the truck.
When the officer asked, “What’s going on, dude?” the suspect punched the gas and fled the scene.
Both officers took off in hot pursuit, chasing the white truck up the road and calling for backup. At a certain point, the man made a sharp U-turn and crashed into the NPS officers’ vehicle. Immediately, both officers pulled their weapons and started firing at the suspect. Body cam footage shows one of the officers firing more than 10 rounds through his windshield.
The officers exited their vehicle and kept weapons trained on the suspect, who was still in his truck. Backup arrived, and the suspect was placed in custody.
History of Shootouts With NPS Officers
The identity of the suspect in the posted video has yet to be released. Since the incident is still under investigation, no further details around his motives are available. You can watch the full community briefing, which includes the available bodycam footage.
This incident occurred near the town of Greenhaven, Utah, along Highway 89. As for the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, it spans 1.5 million acres in southern Utah and northern Arizona. Created in 1972, it’s home to Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the U.S.
While gunfights with National Park rangers are rare, they do happen. In July 2024, a suspect was killed in Yellowstone after a gunfight with NPS rangers. In 2021, a Colorado man opened fire on a park ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park. He was later sentenced to 23 years in federal prison.
Currently, the Iron Garfield Beaver Kane Critical Incident Task Force is leading a joint investigation into the Glen Canyon incident. It’s receiving assistance from the Utah Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the NPS Investigative Services Branch.
The identity of the suspect in the posted video has yet to be released. Since the incident is still under investigation, no further details around his motives are available. You can watch the full community briefing, which includes the available bodycam footage.
Read the full article here