A standoff in a Taylorsville 7-Eleven parking lot between police and a man wanted in a rape and robbery investigation ended in a large shootout Wednesday night, resulting in two officers being injured and the suspect killed.
A West Valley police officer was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and a Unified police officer was hospitalized in serious condition. The man, Anei Gabriel Joker, 20, was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
The West Valley officer, who has five years of experience, underwent surgery after being shot twice and was "stable," police said Thursday. His name was not released. Unified police announced Thursday that their officer, who has been with the department for nine years, was treated at a hospital and was later released. He was at home resting Thursday.
The standoff began at 10 p.m. Wednesday when officers spotted Joker parked in a 7-Eleven parking lot, 4110 S. Redwood Road. He was inside his vehicle with an infant and refused to come out, said West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku.
Joker later released the infant but still refused to come out of the vehicle himself.
"Officers were aware that this suspect is a dangerous suspect and that warranted being approached in such a manner and making every effort possible to get a dangerous suspect into custody," Vainuku said.
"He still remained inside it, would not get out during that process of negotiation to try to get him to get out of the vehicle. At some point, he exited the vehicle and fired upon the officers," she said.
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Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Numerous police officers, including members of the Metro Gang Unit, boxed Joker in, taking cover behind their vehicles with their guns drawn as they tried to negotiate. During the final confrontation, a barrage of shots were heard from KSL camera footage. Joker struck two officers and was hit himself in the shootout.
The officer-involved critical incident protocol was invoked and the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office was putting together a team to investigate.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call police at 801-840-4000.
According to court records, Joker was involved in a number of crimes in recent years. He was convicted of aggravated robbery in June. He was given a suspended prison sentence in that case, with credit for the 94 days he had already served in the Salt Lake County Jail since his arrest, and three years of probation.
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Salt Lake County Jail
Joker's plea and sentencing were part of a resolution that included four other cases. He also pleaded guilty in June to attempted discharge of a firearm and aggravated assault and in exchange, a charge of failing to stop at the command of police was dismissed. In the attempted shooting case, Joker was accused of exchanging gunfire with gang members, which he claimed was in self-defense. He initially called police and told them he had been shot in the leg, but wouldn't tell police where he was at, according to charging documents.
Prior to being sentenced in those cases, Joker wrote a letter to the judge in the case in July, apologizing for his actions and asking for probation.
"l learned my lesson," he claimed in the letter. He explained to the judge that he had experienced a rough life, being forced to live in the homeless shelter at an early age after his brother was sentenced to the Utah State Prison. He also stated in the letter that he had two children, ages 1 and 5.
"I no longer want to live these rainy days. I want to become a better man for my kids, for myself," he wrote.
Joker was also arrested along with a group accused in a 2019 shooting in West Valley City. He was arrested for investigation of failing to stop for police.
Joker was also known as 25-year-old Ramon Julima. In August, an arrest warrant was issued for him for being a fugitive out of California. He was wanted in Orange County on a weapons charge, according to court documents. Joker was arrested and returned to California on Aug. 30.
This story will be updated throughout the day.
Contributing: Ashley Fredde
2 officers injured, gunman killed in parking lot shootout
Source: Gabriella Pinoys
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