ST. GEORGE — The state of Utah is mourning the loss of a Provo police officer after he was shot and killed Saturday evening.
Updated Jan. 6, 2:20 p.m. Provo Police identified the officer who was shot and killed as 29-year-old Joseph Shinners. He had been with the department for three years.
Just before 10 p.m. Saturday, the Prove Police Department received word that a wanted fugitive would be at a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Orem, Provo Police Detective Nick Depaix said in a press conference. As responding officers attempted to apprehend the suspect, a shooting occurred.
“One of our Provo officers was hit, and he was rushed to the hospital,” Depaix said. “Unfortunately, one of our brothers succumbed to his injuries and has passed on.”
Dupaix said the suspect is in custody and received medical treatment for minor injuries. In a press conference Sunday afternoon, police declined to name the suspect who allegedly killed Shinners.
As with all officer-involved shootings, Dupaix said a team is conducting a full investigation. Findings of that investigation will be released as they come, he said.
Dupaix described Shinners, who is a husband and father to a little boy, as being one of the hardest-working officers the department has ever had, as well as being humble.
“He was one of those guys who was willing to listen to you no matter what walk of life you came from. He was always there to show someone respect as well. Didn’t matter if you were a criminal or a high-class citizen.”
Police agencies across the state have expressed their condolences through social media, including the Cedar City Police Department.
“We join with the Provo Police Department in honoring the life of our brother in blue who died tragically last night during a shooting incident in Orem,” Cedar City Police wrote on Facebook. “Rest easy brother, we have the watch from here.”
The tragic loss follows the death of officer David Romrell of the South Salt Lake Police Department, who in late November was struck and killed by a vehicle that was apparently fleeing from a burglary.
According to an Associated Press report, more officers have died in the line of duty in 2018 than the previous year. In 2018, 144 federal, state and local officers died.
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There should be mandatory capital punishment (firing squad is appropriate) for anyone killing a PO or First Responder.
same rule applies to a ‘ dirty cop’ right ?
Those were my thoughts, striker. Although they are the exception and not the norm, plenty of bad guys wear the uniform.
Ergo: Body cameras. The theory that lots of cops were dirty and using excessive force vanished in the first year. Now #BLM wants them done away with, they keep showing the arrestees in a bad light.
For instance, as said in Newsweek: “The number of U.S. police departments outfitting their officers with body cameras increases each year, but the cameras can pose a threat to civil rights if the departments fail to set rules that govern when officers review footage from their cameras, according to a new report.”
Liberal Huffpo chimed in to dis them as well. But what happened to Black Lives Matter? Don’t hear much about them lately. (The biggest Facebook BLM account was RUSSIAN) The body cams are proving whiners like them and Kaepernick wrong.
I’ve been watching a few body cam clips lately. Let’s just say I get why cops are very leery around black people. I’ve also seen some where the cop was waaaaaaay too trigger happy. Some cops don’t understand the concept of de-escalation and they just start shooting. Some of them seem to want to shoot people.
Not good. Would prefer we use the new gallows out Washington County Fair way, would be a great way to get the message across.