Cedar City, ‘still reeling’ from tragedy, grapples with reports of teen pointing a gun at students

CEDAR CITY — A community still reeling from January’s tragic murder-suicide in Enoch took to the microphone at Wednesday’s Cedar City Council meeting to grapple with a recent incident at Canyon View High School where a teenage boy allegedly brandished a gun on campus.

Dan Kidder addresses the Cedar City Council in response to an incident involving a teen allegedly brandishing a firearm at Canyon View High School, Cedar City, Utah, March 1, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

With rumors, concerns and questions swirling across social media, Cedar City Police Chief Darin Adams, Iron County School Board Vice President Lauren Lewis and school superintendent Lance Hatch spoke on Monday’s incident.

Adams said that sharing sensitive information with the public is “a careful line to balance. And in the case of the incident at Canyon View High School, I wanted to provide information early on to ensure the public knew in part what occurred and the stated resolution that resulted.”

“Information was limited due to the fact that it was an active investigation,” he added. “As a result, the initial press release created questions and caused concern. I understand and apologize for any concern that may have been felt by our citizens — especially students and parents. Responsibility for yesterday’s press release is mine.”

The chief said he wanted the public to know that the department takes “school and student safety very seriously.”

A gun on campus — a timeline

On Monday, a Canyon View High School student approached school resource officer Matthew Carpenter to report another teenager, who appeared to be pointing a gun at him while driving out of the school’s parking lot between 12:20 and 12:30 p.m., Adams said. The student “wanted no further involvement” in the investigation, and it appeared the suspect had left the area.

The Canyon View High School sign, Cedar City, Utah, March 1, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

“Officer Carpenter, without the cooperation and assistance from the student, began his investigation with very limited information,” he said.

Carpenter reviewed the school’s surveillance footage and found a potential identity for the suspect, Adams said.

After school let out, two students reported that someone had struck another teen, whom Carpenter later found in the parking lot, before leaving the scene again. Adams said the officer notified the principal at this point.

After determining that the suspect was likely the same teenager who had reportedly brandished a gun, Adams said an investigation commenced “with a plan to meet with the student and his parent the next morning. This was a mutual agreement for all involved parties.”

On Tuesday, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Carpenter obtained physical evidence indicating that the suspect was in possession of a firearm, Adams said. Shortly after this discovery, the student who first reported the suspect contacted Carpenter offering to cooperate with his investigation.

The department also began surveilling the suspect’s home, said Adams, adding that officers were confident he was inside as his vehicle was in the parking lot and due to other gathered intelligence. Carpenter worked with the Iron County attorney to draft a search warrant while Iron Metro Swat began to assemble to “safely take the suspect into custody.”

Canyon View High School at night, Cedar City, Utah, March 1, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

Between approximately 12:30 and 12:55 p.m., law enforcement learned the suspect allegedly shared threats on social media. Due to this and the teen’s proximity to Fiddler’s Elementary School, Canyon View Middle School and Canyon View High School, a lockdown order was issued, Adams said.

During the Level 1 lockdown, the exterior doors were locked, with no one allowed to enter or exit, while the school functioned normally, Hatch said.

As SWAT approached the suspect’s home, he emerged at approximately 1:05 p.m. and was taken into custody without incident. Adams said the lockdown, which lasted about 15 minutes, was lifted shortly after.

Law enforcement and school officials did not believe there was an active threat to students on Monday due to a “lack of evidence” and the vagueness of the student’s complaint, Adams said. Additionally, because the suspect was under surveillance, they didn’t believe the situation necessitated an all-day lockdown on Tuesday.

“This investigative process did not happen by accident,” he said. “It was precise and strategic, with much effort to ensure a proper and thorough investigation and safe arrest. This was all accomplished without students or innocent civilians being hurt or injured.

Cedar City Police Chief Darin Adams addresses the Cedar City Council in response to an incident involving a teen allegedly brandishing a firearm at Canyon View High School, Cedar City, Utah, March 1, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

“We, as police, advise the schools regarding precautions to take during these situations, including whether or not there is a need to lock down a school. The school district cooperates fully with law enforcement and recognizes their expertise and relies on their input for these types of decisions.”

Lewis said the school board was notified shortly before their meeting and she was briefed again on Wednesday.

“I can tell other parents — and if you know me, you know me as a mom. I’m kind of that crazy mom,” she said. ” … and I would have been OK if my child was at Canyon View High School during this situation because what I know everybody was doing in the background.”

Hatch praised the “unprecedented cooperation” between the police and school district.

“We can’t express enough our appreciation of the police department, Chief Adams and our school resource officers,” he said. “They are fantastic.”

The public comments

Johnnie Sillitoe addresses the Cedar City Council in response to an incident involving a teen allegedly brandishing a firearm at Canyon View High School, Cedar City, Utah, March 1, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

Multiple parents, students and community members shared their thoughts and experiences, particularly in the aftermath of the tragic events that took place in Enoch in January, where Michael Haight reportedly shot and killed his wife, mother-in-law and five children and then took his own life.

Kindergarten teacher Kellie Nowland, whose daughter was friends with the Haight’s oldest girl, said “with the level of trauma that our community has experienced in the last month and a half-ish, any word of a gun or shooter or assault or threat or any word similar should equal a school lockdown.”

“I don’t care if it’s credible … It does not matter,” she said. “And as a parent of (Iron County School District) kids, I am very, very livid that it was not taken seriously.”

Dan Kidder said in light of events nationwide, including the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and while the county is “still reeling” from the Jan. 4 murder-suicide, a lockdown should have been the “immediate response” to reports of a firearm at Canyon View.

“How dare you risk the lives of these children while you figure out if this was a credible threat?” he said. “In the meantime, while you did that, the kid came back and assaulted somebody. How dare you risk these children’s lives? We figure it out after we have secured the facility and the lives inside. This kid came back. Thank God he didn’t come back and start shooting.”

Johnnie Sillitoe said that while Lewis may have “felt safe” sending her children to school, other parents “were not given choices.”

Iron County School Board Vice President Lauren Lewis addresses the Cedar City Council in response to an incident involving a teen allegedly brandishing a firearm at Canyon View High School, Cedar City, Utah, March 1, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

“The fear that you put into all of us parents the last couple of days when it could have been a 5-second text …,” she said. “Immediately, that school should have been locked down … We live in 2023. We have seen how many school shootings around the world? Do we have to have one in Iron County?”

One student, Cedar City Youth Council’s Braelynn Haley, said that the active shooter education and training she received at school prepared her and others for the lockdown and that “most of the student body felt pretty safe.”

“I just wanted to thank you guys for that,” she said.

Following public comment, Lewis said that the school board heard peoples’ concerns and would be “looking into things.”

“We are hearing you and we do care,” she said.

Others reiterated Lewis’ statement, including Adams, who added that the department always seeks to improve its processes.

“You have my commitment,” he said. “We’ll continue to do that.”

To read the most recent news release issued by the Cedar City Police Department, click here. Those interested can watch the entire discussion on Cedar City Council’s YouTube channel.

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

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