UPDATED: Gun fired at St. George apartment complex, resident arrested

ST. GEORGE — At least 10 police officers and detectives converged Friday morning at an apartment complex near Dixie Drive following a report of shots fired.

Update May 13, 4 p.m. Confirmation of gun fired, resident arrested.

A detective examines the gutter of Building 2 at the apartment complex, St. George, Utah, May 13, 2022 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Just before 9 a.m., St. George Police officers were called out to the apartments on a report that someone had allegedly shot at a person in the parking lot. As of 11 a.m., police officers and detectives were still on site investigating, and it is not yet confirmed if the sound was the shooting of a weapon or the backfiring of a vehicle.

“There’s still a lot of moving parts. We’re still trying to figure something out,” Sgt. Wade Johnson of the St. George Police said. “We’re still trying to sift through it as well.”

Later in the afternoon, St. George Police Officer Tiffany Mitchell confirmed that a gun was involved in the incident.

“A gun was fired but no one was hit,” Mitchell said.

The disturbance at the apartment complex was enough to send an officer over to nearby Sunset Elementary. However, Steven Dunham, spokesperson for the Washington County School District, told St. George News the school never went on full lockdown.

Despite the number of officers on site, the scene appeared calm with just the sound of chirping birds and nearby lawnmowers with groundskeepers continuing to work near the two buildings of the 10-building complex that were involved in the incident. 

That calm was broken at times by a female resident who was being questioned by officers. She could be heard yelling back at the patrolmen and detectives. 

Shortly before noon, the woman was arrested by police. She was seen holding up two fingers in a “V” formation with her left hand. Detectives then began a search of her home, snapping pictures.

The suspect is identified as Demetre Murphy, according to arrest records upon Murphy being booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility Friday afternoon. She is being charged with third-degree felonies of aggravated assault with use of a weapon, illegal possession of a weapon and witness tampering. She was also charged with misdemeanors of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia as well as the discharge of a weapon in town limits.

Johnson said the incident was a domestic disturbance between the woman in Building 4 and a male in Building 2. The two are related, though it was not specified as to what their relationship is. 

While officers remained on-site, there didn’t appear to be any imminent danger. An officer remained stationed on the second floor of Building 2, while detectives and officers were looking at a gutter and other parts of Building 4.

This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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