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Threat against North Ogden City Council prompts lockdown during meeting

Posted at 9:49 PM, Feb 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-13 08:33:15-05

NORTH OGDEN, Utah – Police are investigating a threat made during a North Ogden City Council meeting that resulted in locking down the facility for about two hours Tuesday night.

Footage from the meeting’s live stream shows the moment those in attendance were told to shelter in place. A police officer asks people to remain in their chairs as the meeting was adjourned.

North Ogden Police said their agency was notified of the threat just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, and officers responded to surround the building.

Meg Sanders, a North Ogden resident, attended the meeting and said she felt like authorities didn’t share information with residents quickly enough.

"The city council was taken somewhere separately,” she said. “The rest of us were taken downstairs to a room with no windows, with the doors [closed] and a police escort."

Sanders said they were told the threat involved a gun.

"The escort told us that there had been a call made where a person claimed they were inside the building and were going to shoot up city council meeting,” she said.

The building was cleared and people were allowed to leave after about two hours. Police searched those inside the building for weapons and went through their phones to determine if they were involved in the threat.

Sgt. Jeremy Hindes said every scenario is different, but safety is their top priority.

"Safety is our number one concern, and if it takes two hours to be safe then that's what we want to do,” Hindes said.

Officers have not yet located the person responsible for the threat, and police have not yet confirmed specific details about the threat except that it was directed at the council meeting.

In a Facebook post, North Ogden City Councilman Phillip Swanson wrote: "City council and staff are currently safe. Please do not speculate. Official word will be shared when appropriate."

Editor's note: Sanders previously worked for Fox 13 News but has not for several years.