Officers responding to a protective order violation in Tooele on Saturday evening shot and killed a man after he initiated a hostage situation and pulled a gun, police said Sunday.
The suspect was later identified as Tutuila “Ben” Pine Koonwaiyou, 27, of Tooele.
Lt. Jeremy Hansen of the Tooele Police Department said patrol officers were dispatched to a Cafe Rio restaurant near 1200 North and Main Street in Tooele about 9 p.m. Saturday for a protective order violation. After they located the involved parties outside of the restaurant, Koonwaiyou produced a gun and forced a woman and a boy into a vehicle.
Hostage negotiators were called to respond, as was a SWAT team.
Hansen said negotiators eventually persuaded Koonwaiyou to let the child go after six hours, though he would not release the woman.
“At the end of it, the male got out of the vehicle with the female, holding her very tightly, and went for his firearm, at which time three Tooele city officers fired their weapons and killed the suspect,” Hansen said.
Hansen said the woman was transported to a Salt Lake City-area hospital with some undisclosed injuries, which do not appear to be life threatening.
He added that the three officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation, which will be conducted by the State Bureau of Investigations with the Department of Public Safety, because of involvement from deputies from the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, Tooele city officers and Grantsville officers
Hansen added that police were still investigating the relationship between the Koonwaiyou and the woman and child.
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