Salt Lake City police have identified the person who died after exchanging gunfire with officers and barricading himself inside a home Tuesday. Navada Escholt, 42, was found dead in the home about 5 p.m.
Police say they received a report of a suicidal man in the area of 1660 West and 800 North at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. When officers arrived, they made contact with Escholt.
“At some point … that person fired several rounds at our officers,” said SLCPD Sgt. Keith Horrocks. “They returned fire” and took cover.
Horrocks said that police found the body after gaining entry to the home in an update issued at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
No officers were injured, Horrocks said. Officials say they don’t know if Escholt died during the gunfire or whether it was self-inflicted. Police did not release any more information.
Negotiators, social workers and a SWAT team responded to the “active situation” in the afternoon and the area from 700 North to 1000 North on Redwood Road, which was shutdown “for quite some time” as police investigated the situation, Horrocks said.
On the day of the incident, Escholt was charged with witness tampering and retaliation after he allegedly sent threatening Facebook messages to someone involved in a pending aggravated assault case against him.
Officials haven’t said if the officers were aware of the charges against Escholt when they responded to the call.
Police will release body camera footage 10 business days from Tuesday, Horrocks said.
