OREM — Police say the California man killed by police bullets early Monday was at one time enrolled at a Provo school for troubled teens.
The man, identified as Russell Ray Clark, 25, may have returned to Utah to visit with friends he'd made while attending Heritage School, said Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards. While Heritage School officials would not confirm or deny Clark's attendance at the school, Edwards said police investigators had been able to contact Clark's mother.
Edwards said he did not have any additional information about Clark's criminal history.
Clark died shortly after 7 a.m. on the way to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.
He suffered gunshot wounds after a confrontation with police that left Orem Police officer Matt Pedersen wounded.
A bullet from Clark's gun grazed the officer's leg.
Clark was struck by at least four bullets after he allegedly tried to grab a handgun he'd placed atop a car in the driveway at 75 E. 800 South.
According to Edwards, police had told Clark they would give him a cellular phone to call his mother and parole officer in California if he would agree to put down the handgun.
Clark put down the gun — but lunged for it again when Pedersen approached.
Edwards said Pedersen tried to faze Clark with a "stun gun" — a police weapon that shocks a person when electrodes connect with the body. Pedersen tried to stun Clark when he approached, but the weapon didn't work.
Clark then lunged for the gun and fired at Pedersen. Officers surrounding Clark fired back.
In Monday's early hours, Clark led Orem police on a high-speed chase in a stolen car.
The chase started when an officer tried to stop him for driving without headlights.
Clark fled on foot after ramming into a residence. He hit the house after trying to make a sharp turn.
Several hours later, neighbors in the 800 South area noticed a man snooping among some parked cars on the drive between two homes.
Clark allegedly stole the handgun from the trunk of one of those vehicles, Edwards said.
After police confronted him around 6:30 a.m., Clark put the gun to his head and said he was the man they'd been chasing earlier. He told police he did not want to go back to jail.
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