A West Jordan SWAT team surrounded the home of a sexual abuse suspect, only to discover hours later that he had escaped.
West Jordan police Sgt. Dan Roberts said officers tried about 8 a.m. to serve a first-degree felony arrest warrant near 1980 W. 7420 South. The warrant accused the man of sexual abuse of a child.
One of the officers said he saw a man, who looked like the suspect, go back into his house. No one would answer the door or the phone, and officers discovered by 2 p.m. that no one was inside, Roberts said.
"It would appear that he went out some other way before we could enough officers there to set up a secure containment," Roberts said.
The man's neighbors had been placed under a voluntary evacuation during the standoff. Roberts said some of the neighbors opted to leave while others decided to shelter in place.
Reporter Michael McFall contributed to this story.
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