This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A west Salt Lake City standoff between SWAT officers and an alleged burglar who claimed to be armed was ended early Thursday morning when police used tear gas to subdue the suspect.
Salt Lake City police Det. Dennis McGowan said the standoff began about 7 p.m. Wednesday after the occupants of a four-plex apartment near 1400 West and 400 South reported that the suspect, an acquaintance of the two brothers, had broken into their residence and threatened them.
The intruder told the couple, who were able to escape a short time later, that he had a handgun.
The suspect refused officers' demands that he surrender and SWAT was deployed. When negotiations failed, SWAT officers released tear gas into the apartment and took the intruder into custody without further incident.
No injuries were reported to the suspect or officers.
McGowan said the man, who turned out not to be armed, was booked into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of first-degree felony aggravated burglary. He remained behind bars Thursday without bail.
Court records show that the suspect has an extensive criminal history including assault, illegal firearms possession and fleeing police. McGowan said the man was being sought for questioning by detectives in another, unrelated investigation at the time of his arrest.
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