Murray police shoot man armed with BB pistol replica

Murray police shot and wounded a man early Tuesday morning after he allegedly pointed a handgun at them — a weapon officers later discovered was a BB pistol replica.

Murray police Det. Kenny Bass said the incident occurred 1:35 a.m. at 4543 S. Creekview Drive (about 400 East). Responding to what initially was reported to be a suicide threat, officers confronted a man outside the house, brandishing the weapon.

When the suspect responded to demands to surrender by pointing the pistol at officers, one of the two officers on the scene shot the 37-year-old twice.

The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was taken to Intermountain Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening gunshot wounds to the arm and torso.

The shooting will be reviewed by the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office. Murray police also will conduct an internal investigation, though Bass said that at least initially, it appeared the officer who fired "really had little choice."

Bass said investigators were looking at the incident possibly being a case of attempted "suicide by cop."

The officer was on administrative lead pending results of the investigations, as is protocol in officer-involved shootings.

remims@sltrib.com