Utah man shot and killed by SWAT team after calling suicide hotline

'SWAT team officer' [Shutterstock]Raw Story – by ARTURO GARCIA

Authorities in Roy, Utah are investigating a 35-year-old man’s shooting death at the hands of a police SWAT team hours after he phoned a suicide prevention hotline seeking help.

KTVX-TV reported that Jose Calzada called the hotline around 4 a.m. on Tuesday threatening to kill himself inside the home he shared with his girlfriend and her children.

Shortly afterwards, dispatchers in Weber County sent the officers to the residence. The other residents in the home left after the call was placed.  

A police spokesperson, Detective Matthew Gwynn, told KTVX that a SWAT negotiator spoke with Calzada for about seven hours before the talks “failed.” He was shot and killed around 11:15 a.m.

A neighbor, Ron Smith, told the Ogden Standard-Examiner that he heard six or seven gunshots coming from Calzada’s home.

“It seemed like there was one shot, and then a pause, and then four or five shots after that, that were very rapid,” Smith said. “The pause after the first shot was really brief. After that I went inside and shut the door.”

The Weber County Attorney’s Office is reportedly investigating Calzada’s death as a “suicide by cop.”

“We encourage those having suicidal thoughts or tendencies to contact a physician or expert that can talk them through it,” Gwynn said. “In this particular case he attempted to do that — it’s unfortunate and sad that it failed.”

Watch KTVX’s report on the shooting, as aired on Wednesday, below.

 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/10/utah-man-shot-and-killed-by-swat-team-after-calling-suicide-hotline/

3 thoughts on “Utah man shot and killed by SWAT team after calling suicide hotline

  1. My Fellow Americans:

    Well he did call the, “Suicide Hotline!!” afterall!,…

    This is the gov’t number you call when your to cowardly to actually perform your own suicide, and need help!

    The SWAT team (or sometimes local cops) are quickly dispatched after receiving the call to go “suicide” the individual who called!

    Next Step In The Process: The coroner’s report, which will of course list this person cause of death as: Suicide.

    JD – US Marines – This Reign Of Terror ends,… when WE THE PEOPLE decide to step up,.. and end it,.. and not one massacre sooner.

    .

    1. “Well he did call the, “Suicide Hotline!!” afterall!,…”

      Yeah, but I don’t think their job is to ASSIST someone’s suicide, JD.

      Then again, who knows?

  2. Apparently, calling a suicide hotline is like calling 911 these days.

    Don’t call unless you’re dead serious about dying.

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