SANDY, Utah — A man was shot and killed early Sunday morning by a police officer in Sandy.
The shooting occurred at around 1 a.m. at 11640 South 1020 East. The officer was looking for a man who was reportedly experiencing a mental health episode and possibly suicidal.
"Our officer located the individual walking and at some point, the individual presented a threat that resulted in our officer discharging his firearm," the Sandy Police Department wrote in a press release.
The man died at the scene. Family members told FOX 13 News that he was Dylan Murphy, age 33.
“You think you’re going to call 911 like I did and you think it’s going to help the family or help him, and it turns out he gets murdered,” said Dylan’s older brother, KC Murphy.
The officer was not injured.
“I opened the door and I heard two gunshots. I ran and screamed as loud as I could, got over here, got right here where I’m standing now and he fired a third shot,” said KC.
Police have not said if Murphy had a weapon on him at the time of the shooting.
“He was out here and not armed. He definitely wasn’t armed. He was bleeding out,” said Syble Horn, Murphy’s mother.
Horn said Murphy was a father of three, a trucker, and a Dallas Cowboys fan.
“Sitting here right now, this is where my son took his last breath,” she said. “It shouldn’t have been like this.”
Sgt. Greg Moffitt most officers with the Sandy Police Department are CIT certified and trained to respond to mental health crises.
“Sometimes these things do take a very drastic turn and they go very polar from one end to the other in just a matter of seconds,” he said.
The shooting is being investigated under the Salt Lake County officer-involved critical incident protocol, and the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.
