WEST JORDAN, Utah — A South Jordan man was found guilty on multiple counts Friday, nearly three years to the day after firing at police officers from inside an explosives-filled home.
After the week-long trial, the jury found Ryan McManigal guilty on 8 of 11 counts, including six counts of the use of weapons of mass destruction. He was also found guilty of two counts of assault on a peace officer, which was a lesser offense of the attempted murder charges McManigal originally faced.
McManigal was found not guilty on three of the weapons of mass destruction charges.
On July 23, 2020, McManigal shot at police through his front door when he was ordered to come out. During testimony Thursday, he said he had intentionally shot through the door so that it “would slow down the bullets.”
"If I had intended to actually kill an officer, I would have went around a different room and fired more rounds than I did," McManigal said.
Inside the home, police found partially-constructed bombs and a large number of explosives, prompting an evacuation of nearby homes and businesses.
Months after McManigal's arrest, an explosion from what his sister called a "booby trap bomb" inside the home injured a cousin. The home was eventually demolished in June 2021 as neighborhood residents became concerned over safety issues.
On the witness stand during his trial, McManigal claimed that building the explosives was "therapeutic" for him. He said his mental condition leading up to the incident at his home began with an estate battle against his sister.
"I was feeling horrible," he said Thursday. "My mental health was in the toilets, I guess you could say, it was a downward spiral."
While admitting he had fantasized about hurting his sister, he testified that he only planned on using the explosives at the Salt Flats.
