Gunman killed by police after holding Farmington family hostage for 7 hours

FARMINGTON — A man who police say held a Farmington family hostage in their home for nearly seven hours overnight was shot by police Friday morning and later died from his injuries.

The family, which includes two men, two women and a girl, were traumatized but suffered only minor injuries, according to police.

"They're up and down," Farmington Police Chief Wayne Hansen said later Friday, updating the public on the family's condition. "There are a lot of emotions I think they're experiencing. They're more or less doing OK."

Hansen also confirmed that the man who held them hostage, Joseph Anthony Manhard, 32, who is listed in court documents as homeless, died at a local hospital after being shot by police.

The wild standoff and manhunt — which also included a carjacking, an officer almost being hit by Manhard's vehicle, and a bullet being shot into a second house, according to police — all started on Thursday.

Manhard was charged Thursday in 2nd District Court with aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, as well as unauthorized vehicle control for an extended time, a class A misdemeanor. A no-bail warrant was issued for his arrest. The victim in that case is an ex-girlfriend, police said. According to the arrest warrant, police considered Manhard "a danger to himself and others as he has threatened to kill the victim and himself with a firearm he possesses."

Thursday afternoon, police received a call from a resident that Manhard was at that person's house, said Clearfield Assistant Police Chief Devin Rogers. Officers responded to the Clearfield home but Manhard was gone. About 1:30 a.m. Friday, the same resident called to say Manhard was back, according to Rogers. This time, responding officers spotted Manhard in a car nearby and gave chase.

Manhard fled into the Freeport Center, where police later found his abandoned vehicle. While investigating that scene, emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from a woman about a quarter-mile away who said she had been carjacked at gunpoint, Rogers said. The woman told police that Manhard had approached her with a gun and demanded that she give him her car.

"She put up a little bit of resistance, to which point he fired a round through her window, at which point she got out of the car and gave him the car," the assistant chief said.

Police do not believe Manhard aimed his shot at the woman and she was not injured.

The stolen vehicle was spotted a short time later by police in the area of 800 N. Main in Clearfield. "Officers attempted to stop him and he swerved at (an) officer causing the officer to go off the roadway to avoid a collision," Rogers said.

Manhard then drove onto I-15 where he was spotted by the Utah Highway Patrol and Davis County sheriff's deputies and a chase ensued. Officers were able to spike the fleeing vehicle's tires near Shepard Lane in Farmington, Rogers said. Manhard got out of the car and ran across the freeway, hopping fences into a nearby neighborhood with police closing in.

At that point, the Davis County SWAT team was called as police began a door-to-door search looking for Manhard. As police were looking, they heard a gunshot and found a bullet hole in the window of a Farmington house. The circumstances surrounding that shot were still under investigation Friday, Hansen said. No one in that house was injured.

Police believe Manhard then entered a house on Tuscany Grove Circle through an open window, according to Hansen. That was between 2:15 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., police estimate.

"He was just trying to get into any house he could," Hansen said.

What type of interaction occurred between the family and Manhard during the hours they were held hostage was not immediately known. Police say there were five family members inside the home Manhard entered. At some point during the first 30 minutes of being held hostage, Hansen said two of the family members were able to escape. He did not immediately know Friday how they got out of the house. The two contacted police and officers then surrounded the residence.

Police attempted to negotiate with Manhard for several hours.

"At some point, gunfire erupted," Hansen said.

Shots were fired just after 9 a.m. What prompted police to shoot or whether Manhard fired a shot are questions that Hansen did not answer, saying the Davis County officer-involved shooting protocol team is investigating. Police confirmed that an officer from the Salt Lake City Police Department who was a member of one of the tactical teams shot Manhard and has been placed on paid administrative leave per protocol.

As the situation was still unfolding, nearby residents were asked to stay in their homes. Reading Elementary School, 360 W. 2025 North, and Stewart Elementary, 1155 N. Main, both in Centerville, postponed school until 10:30 a.m.

Both Hansen and Rogers praised law enforcement agencies from both Davis County and Salt Lake County who assisted with the manhunt and standoff, calling the operation a "significant undertaking."

Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown and Mayor Erin Mendenhall also issued statements praising the actions of the Salt Lake officer involved.

"Based on the preliminary investigation, our officer saved the lives of several hostages," Brown said. "I stand by and support our officer's decision."

"Their training and professionalism helped them to act with selflessness and prevent tragic events," Mendenhall added, speaking of all the Salt Lake officers who responded to Davis County.

The Salt Lake officer was wearing a body camera. That video will be released in 10 days per city protocol, the mayor added.

Praise was also given to each of the victims in the ordeal.

"The way they acted was absolutely appropriate given the circumstances," Rogers said.

A victim's advocate has been with the family since they were freed from the hostage situation, Hansen said.

On social media, several people commented on the page of the mother who was held hostage.

"This news makes me sick to my stomach. I am so thankful to know that you are safe now. I am praying for peace and healing for you and your cute family," one person wrote.

"I am so thankful you are all now safe. I am praying you all can heal from such a horrific event. You are all loved and adored by so many, please reach out if you are needing or wanting for anything. I will help, listen or just be there," wrote another.

Before being rescued, several people posted on the woman's social media pages asking others for prayers for a peaceful resolution.

In 2008, Manhard pleaded guilty to attempted theft, a third-degree felony that was amended to a class A misdemeanor in exchange for his plea, court records show. He was sentenced to two years of probation but was later ordered to serve 60 days in jail for violations of his probation.

Contributing: Shara Park, Linda Williams, Tamara Vaifanua

Related topics