This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A man was in custody Saturday after what police described as a violent episode where the man shot and wounded a female friend, took his estranged wife hostage at a Millcreek area home and later shot and wounded her — and then opened fire on a SWAT team.
None of the officers shot back, said Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder, who praised the team's handling of the situation. The man had turned on the gas in the house and the restraint by SWAT members, whose lives were in danger, helped avoid a possible explosion sparked by gunfire, the sheriff said.
The man was later identified as 37-year-old Valentin Dulla Santarromana.
Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell said the three-hour hostage situation began just after 8 a.m., when Santarromana allegedly shot and critically wounded the friend, who was trying to mediate a domestic violence situation at the home, located near 735 E. 3300 South.
The friend, who was found by police outside the home in the roadway, had been shot multiple times and was in "extremely critical condition" at a hospital following surgery, Winder said. A jailing document for Santarromana adds that her spine was severed, and she was wounded in the head and torso.
By 11:30 a.m., Santarromana was taken into custody and his wife was out of the home, reportedly in critical condition after being shot by her husband, police reported. The jail document adds that she was hit in an arm, both legs and her head, losing one eye.
Winder said "circumstance became extremely dynamic" as the SWAT team entered the home.
As officers moved in, Santarromana fired multiple shots from a high-powered weapon, then fled to the basement where he shot his wife before releasing her and surrendering, Winder said.
The man fired 18 to 40 shots at the officers, Winder said, adding that "he was trying to kill our officers" and initiate a gun battle.
In addition, the man had barricaded every entry to the home.
Winder said Santarromana had constructed a variety of barricades. "This isn't the run-of-the-mill type of barricades," Winder added.
Winder described Santarromana as having "a propensity for violence."
"These are not the actions of a normal person," he said.
The sheriff said Santarromana — who last week was taken by police to a hospital for a mental evaluation — has made "specific threats to our officers, both verbally and in writing."
"We are very concerned with the safety of this hostage at this time," Winder said shortly before the situation was resolved.
Bell said police were alerted to the problem when a witness called 911 about an ongoing argument, and then — while on the phone with dispatchers — heard gunfire.
Police arrived at the residence at 8:09 a.m.
Bell said negotiators arrived quickly, were able to establish communication with the suspect, from which it became "clear ... that the suspect intended to harm his wife and police officers."
When shots were heard being fired in the residence, the SWAT team was forced to enter quickly "in an effort to intervene and save the life of the hostage," Bell said.
Santarromana fired over a dozen rounds at SWAT team members as they tried to get to the victim. But because SWAT members could smell natural gas when they entered the home, no rounds were fired by police, Bell said.
Santarromana was booked into jail on suspicion of a number of alleged crimes, including attempted aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping and assault against a police officer.
Bell said the home in question "has a history" with the police department. But Utah court records show no criminal record for Santarromana.
Court records do, however, show that Santarromana's wife on Monday filed for a protective order against him. A hearing in that case is set for Aug. 31 in 3rd District Court.
Two neighbors said Santarromana had told them he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from service in the military.
One of the neighbors, Karina Cabezas, said Santarromana had set up space in his basement where he would go when he was having an episode because he felt safe there.
Cabezas said the man was friendly and had introduced himself to all of his neighbors when the family moved to the neighborhood about three years ago. The couple has three young daughters, who were not at the home Saturday morning, according to Cabezas.
Police had evacuated the surrounding homes, and 3300 South was closed to traffic between 700 East and 900 East during the episode.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC