RIVERTON, Utah – A man is in custody and his children are safe after police say his threats to kill himself and the children sparked a SWAT response in Riverton that lasted several hours.
Police later identified the suspect as 34-year-old James Michael Dansie and say he has been booked into jail facing charges of threats of violence and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child.
The incident occurred in the area of 13400 South and 5200 West and began around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Sgt. Melody Gray with Unified Police said Dansie contacted an estranged spouse and threatened to take his own life and the lives of his three children, who were in the home with him.
The estranged wife is the mother of one of those three children and she called police after receiving the alarming texts from Dansie.
SWAT personnel and negotiators responded to the scene, prompting a closure of 13400 South between 5200 West and 5600 West. That closure has since been lifted.
"He was armed—we had information of weapons in the home, as well as past suicidal attempts, so we did notify our SWAT team... so that we were prepared for anything to happen before we made contact with the suspect," Gray said.
Around 6:30 a.m. Unified Police confirmed the suspect had surrendered peacefully and the children are safe and in police custody.
Fox 13 News will update this story as more details emerge.
Support is available 24/7 in Utah for those dealing with domestic violence. Visit the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition online or call 1-800-897-5465 for resources and assistance. In an emergency, dial 911.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-273-TALK. Utahns can also visit Hope4Utah and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center for additional resources. You can also download the SafeUT app for instant, confidential crisis services. In an emergency, dial 911.
