Man with knife shot by police officer in Duchesne County

A Duchesne County Sheriff’s deputy shot and wounded a man he said threatened him with a knife.

According to a Wednesday news release, at 9:17 p.m. on Monday, the deputy tried to contact Lee Richens, 53, who was riding a bike “on a dark street during a heavy snowstorm.” The deputy said Richens pulled out a “large knife” and threatened him with it.

Richens then led the deputy on a foot chase through the small city of Myton, 19 miles west of Duchesne. The deputy chased Richens into a “heavily wooded area, where he turned and advanced on the deputy with the knife,” the release states. According to police, the deputy fired two shots at Richens.

The sheriff’s office did not say not say if Richens was hit once or twice, or where he was wounded. He was taken to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo to be treated, and he is expected to survive.

The deputy who opened fire was not identified. The Utah State Bureau of Investigations is investigating the shooting. As of Thursday morning, no charges had been filed, and no additional information had been released.

This marked the 19th police shooting in Utah so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Salt Lake Tribune.