ST. GEORGE – Workers and patrons in the St. George LDS Temple received a surprise visit Saturday night when a man entered the temple’s reception lobby and became disruptive, yelling incoherently and refusing to leave.
“We were called down there on a male that had walked inside the temple and was saying some things that didn’t make a lot of sense,” Sgt. Dave Williams, with the St. George Police Department, said. “And he was asked to leave and refused to leave. He eventually walked out of the temple and was still on temple grounds, still kind of yelling and carrying on.”
Officers arrived at the temple, which is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shortly after 7 p.m. and made contact with the man, identified as Tavita Hamilton, of Salt Lake City. As officers spoke with Hamilton, he became belligerent and attempted to reenter the temple.
“When we tried to stop him, he tried to assault the officers on scene,” Williams said.
Officers were able to subdue Hamilton quickly, and he was placed under arrest. Medical was called in, Williams said, and Hamilton was cleared medically. No officers at the scene were hurt, and no one inside the temple or on the grounds was injured as a result of the incident.
Williams said it is not known at this time what led to Hamilton’s erratic behavior.
“Nothing was found on him as far as substance abuse,” he said.
LDS Church members participating in temple activities typically enter the temple wearing Sunday attire – shirts and ties for the men and dresses or skirts for the women. Hamilton was dressed in shorts and flip-flops at the time of the incident, Williams said.
“There’s requirements to go in there and everything – I’m not sure where he fits on that,” Williams said.
Hamilton was booked into Washington County’s Purgatory Correctional Facility on one class-A misdemeanor charge for assaulting an officer, one class-B misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest, and one infraction for disorderly conduct. His bail stands at $2,526.
Hamilton was still in custody as of 10:45 p.m. Saturday.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
Update: St. George News received the following statement from Hamilton’s sister, Tavita Hamilton, on July 19:
My little brother is the most kind loving person who is suffering from mental illness. He is going through so much and it’s been such a heart ache for my family just know he loves the temple and his illness causes him to act in such a way. Pls keep my baby brother in your prayers thank you
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Maybe they had taken his temple recommend and he wanted to talk about it.
I had mine taken away but I bought a new one.
sad
you can buy them on the internet for $50. its as good as the real thing
What a waste of $50.
I heard you can get one in specially marked boxes of cereal…..sorry can’t remember name of cereal. But I think they were by Kellogs.
Still sad they wont let you in huh bob?
Not a waste, you will have status within the cult even though everybody knows it was purchased.
Status within the cult? Like I said, waste of $50.
Religions are built on Red Herring fallacies. They are businesses that take advantage of the gullible by fooling them into thinking they will reap some intangible reward in exchange for their tangible assets like time or hard-earned money. Very sad.
Some folks have to stay in the cult to keep peace with the family. That $50 can save a bundle of cash vs. a full 10%
What’ this? He was wearin’ flip flops? String him up! … non mormons.
Ed. ellipsis.
Doubt you would say the same thing if he had done this at any other building.
And I doubt you would be so defensive if the commenter had insulted any other religion.
Wow, fake temple recommends, what a scandal. Anyone, if they want to badly enough, can get into a temple. There are no armed TSA agents, just some older person looking at your recommend. Yeah, you can buy a fake recommend. Big deal.
The TSA are not and never have been armed, FYI.
A person speaking incoherently and acting in this manner without evidence of drug use is probably undergoing a mental health issue. It is too bad that this story isn’t presented with more sensitivity to what is likely going on. The officers at the scene should have been trained about the likelihood of this being a mental health issue, it may have ended without incident had they approached it that way.
Funny how those temple worthy mormons are some of the most crooked people on earth. Were Swallow and Shurtleff temple worthy? How about those mormon businessmen who used their bishop positions to victimize people in their ponzi schemes? Some of those women who cover up to go in the temple are seen around town in skin tight outfits so everyone can see their bodies. Some of the men are violent control freaks. Was that guy who shot his GF & her daughter temple worthy? Then how many of those mormons with marriages sealed in the temple get divorced? Quite a few? The mormon god apparently isn’t the true god to repeatedly make those kind of errors with these clan folk. Worst part, though is how the flock of sheep are oblivious to the criminals and freaks in their fold who have obtained the temple worthiness. I wouldn’t want to go in their temples. It might place a curse on me as I believe it curses many of those who walk into those money symbols of control and coercion.
Do breast augmentations make mormon women more temple worthy?
Ogden should change its name to Augmentation, as in breast augmentation.
i dont see why not