OREM, Utah — OREM, Utah — One man is in custody after shooting at police and barricading himself in an Orem home early Saturday morning.
“I started hearing more gunfire and I decided to hide,” said Diego Prado who lives nearby.
According to Orem Police, the incident began around 7:30 a.m. when officers were called to a car crash in the area of 800 S. Orem Boulevard.
The suspect fled the scene toward the area of 1000 South and 100 East, where he exchanged gunfire with officers. Security camera footage from a nearby home (seen below) captured a police car rushing past, then at least seven gunshots are heard off-camera a few seconds later.
“He shot at officers and officers shot back,” said Lt. Nick Thomas.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside a home in the area. The home did not belong to the suspect, nor was he a tenant in any capacity. The occupants of the home were safely evacuated.
“We were able to talk to him, make contact with him, and got the homeowners out safely,” said Thomas.
“They were telling us not to go out, not to watch through the windows because it would be dangerous,” said Prado.
As officers verbally negotiated with the suspect, he told them he was injured and later surrendered peacefully. No officers were injured.
The suspect was then transported to an area hospital for treatment. As of Saturday night, it was not known how severe his injuries were or whether he was hit by officers' gunshots.
Raoul Alfaro’s car was struck by one of the bullets.
“When I saw this shot, I thought, ‘Oh wow, if this was not here, it’d probably shot at my window or the door,” said Alfaro.
Officers have yet to release the name of the suspect. The Utah County Officer-Involved Critical Incident Team is investigating.
As for Prado, he and his family had just moved to the neighborhood two weeks ago from Venezuela. Saturday morning was an alarming welcome to their new life living in Utah.
“What a way to wake up,” he said. “What a way to wake up.”
