Prosecutors: Woman pointed gun at officers near Cedar City before they shot her

Law enforcement vehicles at the scene of an officer-involved shooting incident near 4500 West Midvalley Road near Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 29, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — Authorities have released additional information about an incident where an officer shot a woman a few miles northwest of Cedar City on Sunday night. The Iron County Attorney’s Office says the woman, who remains hospitalized, pointed a gun at officers before she was shot.

The woman shot by police has been identified as Shawna Owens, 37, of Iron County, according to news release issued Thursday afternoon by the Iron County Attorney’s Office.

According to the release, Owens has been charged with two counts of assault against a police officer, one count of aggravated assault, three counts of felony discharge of a firearm, one count of DUI, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol and one alcohol-restricted driver violation.

Six of the charges are felonies, while three are misdemeanors, according to the documents filed in 5th District Court on Thursday.

The news release went on to share additional details about Sunday’s incident, which happened in the area of 4680 North and 4500 West, a short distance to the south and east of the Three Peaks Recreation Area.

According to the release, multiple officers had responded to a report of a suspicious person with a firearm, with the reporting party saying that a person in a vehicle had pointed a gun at him.

File photo showing an Iron County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle in Cedar City on May 14, 2022 | File photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“As officers arrived on scene, they located the vehicle and began to give commands to the occupant, identified as Shawna Owens, to exit the vehicle,” the release states, adding, “While commands were being given, Owens pointed a black pistol in the direction of multiple officers.”

According to the statement, Owens was told multiple times to put down the weapon and exit the vehicle.

“During the incident, Owens raised the firearm in the direction of an officer,” the statement reads, adding, “Officers then fired multiple times at Owens. Owens was struck by the gunfire.”

The statement also notes that investigators found two spent .22 caliber shell casings from Owens’ firearm inside the vehicle.

As of Thursday, Owens is reportedly still hospitalized and in recovery. Although information about when she might be released from the hospital hasn’t been shared publicly, Owens is expected to be booked into Iron County Jail as soon as she receives medical clearance.

The Iron Garfield Beaver Critical Incident Task Force’s investigation into the incident remains ongoing, including determining whether the officers’ use of force was justified.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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