DRAPER — Draper police have arrested a man accused over the weekend of firing an assault rifle at an officer with his 9-year-old son nearby.
Draper police officer Robert Barlow ducked for cover and ordered his police dog to come back as Richard Grant Lees fired one shot Saturday, according to a police affidavit. He eventually followed Barlow’s commands to drop the weapon and lie down on the ground, the report states.
The report does not mention any injuries or deaths, but says Lees, 49, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder and other charges including aggravated assault, child endangerment and intoxication.
His son called police about 1:30 a.m. Sunday saying his father had fired several gunshots, the report says. When the officer arrived at the home, 1474 E. Tumbleweed Way, Lees waved him on to the next house. But the officer and K-9 returned to find him “pointing a weapon, which appeared to be an AR-15, into his garage,” police said.
The officer dressed in uniform identified himself as Draper police, then commanded Lees to drop the gun, but “Richard stated they are in the house with weapons” and appeared to aim the gun at the officer, the booking report says.
“I again commanded Richard to drop the weapon as I pointed my duty weapon at Richard. I then saw a bright fire exit the muzzle of the weapon,” the report states. The officer watched the boy and his father run toward a neighbor’s house, with the boy going inside and Lees remaining in the yard, where he surrendered a short time late.
The gun’s magazine was loaded, the affidavit says.
Police said Lees’ former wife reported that he has a history of using meth and “becomes paranoid” when he does so, seeing things that aren’t there. He was speaking rapidly and seemed to be under the influence of a narcotic, the report says.
While being handcuffed, he allegedly told the officer he could see someone leave his home and go into the garage, police said, but no one was there.
Officers from several agencies did not find anyone in Lees’ home but identified several bullet holes and shattered windows in his car. He has not yet been formally charged with a crime.