MIDVALE — Police on Saturday identified the man killed by police in a Friday incident as 22-year-old Matthew C. Knowlden.
Knowlden died from injuries sustained after exchanging gunfire with police as they attempted to arrest another man on Friday, Joseph J. Schultz, who was wanted in multiple felony cases.
Police also identified two other individuals connected to the incident who were taken into custody, 19-year-old Jeannie J. Brereton and 29-year-old Sasha A. Jones. According to police, both women were passengers in a vehicle driven by Schultz, who was trying to evade police at the time of the incident.
Officers from both Unified and West Valley police departments were searching for Schultz, 24, of West Valley City, who they’ve been trying to arrest in connection with “robberies, as well as drive-by shootings” in multiple jurisdictions, according to Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler, when they spotted his SUV at a Motel 6 in Midvale on Friday.
After police were able to flatten the car’s tires with spikes, Schultz tried to drive away, Cutler said. At 7200 South and Bingham Junction Boulevard, the driver and passengers fled from the vehicle.
Knowlden ran east on the sidewalk with officers chasing him on foot, according to police.
“(He) then produced a handgun and fired a round at officers,” Cutler said. “Officers then returned fire.”
Knowlden was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Cutler wasn’t sure how many officers fired at Knowlden.
The incident was turned over to Salt Lake police’s Protocol Team One, the same agency that is investigating Thursday’s officer-involved shooting in Holladay, which injured 49-year-old Eric Pectol, of Layton. Cutler said Protocol Team One was assigned to investigate Friday night’s incident because officers from both West Valley and Unified police were involved.
This was the second officer-involved shooting for Unified police this week, and the third in the state over a four-day period. Cutler said two officers have been placed on administrative leave while Thursday’s shooting is being investigated. Pectol was wanted by law enforcement for parole violations.