Her killing would be the 14th domestic-violence-related death in Utah this year.

David Drommond, 29, was booked into the Davis County Jail less than an hour after his ex-wife had appeared on the steps of his Bountiful townhome to drop off their two young boys around 1:30 p.m. near the 200 West block of Lyman Lane. As Drommond opened the door, the boys ran inside and their father stepped out and fired two shots into his ex-wife, said Bountiful police Lt. Steve Gray. As the shots rang out, the woman's father, who was waiting in a car only a few feet away, ran to her aid.

"He came with her to kind of keep the peace," Gray said. "He didn't want to stand out there and make the situation worse."

But as the father jumped from the car, Drommond shot him twice. Neighbors who had heard the gunshots and screams ran toward Drommond who tried to turn the gun on himself. As many as three men wrested the gun from his grip, Gray said.

The neighbor who took the gun began removing its bullets by cycling the action, dropping them to the ground one at a time, said Jeff Nemelka, who lives nearby. Drommond tried to get the gun back and that's when Nemelka got involved.

"I tackled him," he said.

Nemelka held Drommond down until police could arrive. About five armed officers surrounded the shooter and arrested him. Then Nemelka headed back towards Drommond's home down the narrow street lined with town homes, which was teeming with neighbors. The woman was still lying on the sidewalk, he said.

The bullets struck the woman in the head and chest, Gray said. She died before an ambulance could reach her.

"There was a nurse [who lives nearby] on scene who was trying to resuscitate her. It was just one of those cases where it was not going to be successful," Gray said.

The father was shot in the chest and arm and was taken to an area hospital, where he is expected to recover, said Gray.

Police said the woman brought her father along to ensure her safety. A protective order against her ex-husband was currently on file, Gray said. She was to be married on Friday, according to Nemelka.

The couple's children were placed with family members Sunday night, Gray said. Police were unsure how much of the violence the children witnessed.

mwestley@sltrib.com