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Man killed in officer-involved shooting identified

Posted at 9:20 AM, Dec 20, 2012
and last updated 2012-12-21 17:52:34-05

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah - A man fatally shot by police on Thursday morning after they saw him threatening his girlfriend with a knife in Taylorsville has been  identified.

The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Utah Department of Workforce Services building at 5735 S Redwood Road.

The woman's father contacted the Unified Police Department and said his daughter was involved in a domestic violence incident. She was reportedly being held at knife point by her boyfriend, identified Friday as Jose Luis Rodriquez-Castro, 32.

Officers responded to the DWS parking lot within a matter of minutes and focused on a brown Chevrolet Suburban.

Police told FOX 13 News they saw the couple inside the Suburban and Rodriquez-Castro was wielding a knife. Officers gave several orders for him to drop the weapon.

When Rodriquez-Castro refused to drop the knife, officers fired several shots and the suspect was struck multiple times.

Kevin Green was sitting in his green Dodge Neon just a few feet away when the incident occurred. He says he was getting ready to attend a seminar at the DWS when he heard an officer screaming commands at the man in the suburban.

"'Drop it! Drop it!' We're talking thunderous, there was no way he could be more clear," Green said. "My opinion is the officer saved that lady's life, period, end. It could've been really bad for her."

The woman was able to get away from the vehicle and life-saving resuscitation efforts were performed on Rodriquez-Castro. He was not resuscitated and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman sustained defensive wounds on her arms and went to an area hospital for treatment. Sheriff Jim Winder said the woman thanked officers for saving her life. She is expected to recover.

"She did receive some minor injuries that appeared to be defensive, what we'd call a knife attack," Winder said.