BRIGHAM CITY -- A suicidal man with a rifle barricaded himself inside his Brigham City home for more than six hours Thursday, forcing nearby residents to seek shelter in their basements.
Cameron Richard Busby, 37, eventually surrendered peacefully due to the work of three negotiators with the Box Elder County SWAT team.
Police said Busby was upset over his deteriorating marriage and the standoff was sparked by a hearing Wednesday in 2nd District Court in Ogden, Brigham City Police Lt. Dennis Vincent said.
At the hearing, three protective orders filed last month by Busby's estranged wife, sister-in-law and daughter-in-law were combined into one and made permanent, according to court records. The order banned Busby from contact with the women, their spouses and children -- a total of seven people.
Busby's wife, Tina, told the court she would be filing for divorce. The protective order cites two threatening incidents, one in November when his wife moved out of their Brigham City home and another last month when the 6-foot-7, 250-pound Busby made threats against her and her family at her job in Harrisville.
The terms of the protective order included surrendering his collection of guns.
"He did not do that," Vincent said.
Officers arrived at the house on the 900 block of 500 East around 5:20 a.m. after Busby called 911 and told dispatchers he was distraught and was going to end his life.
"(Officers) saw him with a rifle at his front door," Vincent said. "We immediately set up a perimeter and called out the SWAT team."
Police cordoned off the neighborhood surrounding the home, blocking off 1000 South at 450 East and 925 South at 500 East while officers negotiated and members of the SWAT team remained ready. Officers told neighbors about the standoff and warned them to stay in their basements and away from windows.
"If there is gunfire, it's always safer in the basement," Vincent said. "We're always thinking about the worst-case scenario."
As part of the SWAT operation, police brought in an armored personnel carrier, which is used in stand-off situations to move officers in and out of the scene, Vincent said.
Three negotiators talked with Busby until about 11:30 a.m., when he walked out of the front door and was taken into custody. Police say Busby was hit with a Taser before being placed into handcuffs and into a waiting ambulance.
He was transported to the psychiatric unit at Logan Regional Hospital pursuant to a 72-hour commitment as a suicide watch, Vincent said. There were no other residents inside the home at the time of the standoff. Police were calling 2nd District Court during the standoff to confirm details of the protective order against Busby.
Vincent said negotiators quoted Busby as saying he owned eight or nine guns, including semiautomatic rifles. In addition to the gun Busby was carrying, they seized his 5-foot-tall, 3-foot-wide gun safe, which held the other firearms. "We're hopeful he'll give us the combination so we won't have to drill it."
Police say Busby was obviously intoxicated during the standoff. A search of the home indicated he may have been packing to move out before he called 911.
Vincent said negotiators reported Busby was almost as upset about losing his guns as losing his family. He only threatened himself during the standoff, he said.
In a Nov. 29, 2008, incident at their Brigham City home, according to the protective order, and which Vincent remembered, Busby was arrested and charged with intoxication and disorderly conduct for his reaction to his wife moving out. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, suspended in favor of a $494 fine, which he has paid, according to court records.
In that incident he became irate and began throwing items and breaking his wife's belongings, according to court records, leading to a cut on his wife's face from flying debris. At one point he put a shotgun under his chin and threatened to kill himself, according to court records.
In a Sept. 24, 2009, incident in Harrisville, which provoked the filing of the protective orders, Busby made phone calls and sent text messages to his wife's place of employment, threatening her life and the lives of her relatives, court records say. One text message said a particular individual "will no longer be a person, but a soul" after Busby's "recourse."
On Wednesday, Busby told 2nd District Court Commissioner Dan Garner that text was misunderstood because he sent it while driving, and words were left out. He only meant the person in question would lose their soul, according to court records.
Formal charges from that incident were filed Wednesday in the Harrisville Justice Court, charging Busby with making terroristic threats and telephone harassment. A summons was mailed Thursday ordering him to appear in court on the misdemeanors Oct. 21. Police said he also faces charges from the standoff.
Updated 10:51 p.m.
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Brigham City standoff ends peacefully, man arrested
BRIGHAM CITY -- A suicidal man with a rifle barricaded himself inside his Brigham City home for more than six hours on Thursday, forcing residents on the block to seek shelter in their basements.
Police say the man appeared to be upset over family problems.
Officers arrived at the house on the 900 block of 500 East around 5:20 a.m. after the 37-year-old male resident called 911 and told dispatchers he was distraught and was going to end his life, said Police Lt. Dennis Vincent.
"(Officers) saw him with a rifle at his front door," he said. "We immediately set up a perimeter and called out the SWAT team."
Police cordoned off the neighborhood surrounding the home, blocking off 1000 South at 450 East and 925 South at 500 East while officers negotiated with the man and members of the SWAT team remained ready. Officers warned residents in the neighborhood about the stand-off in progress and warned them to stay in their basements and away from windows.
"If there is gunfire, it's always safer in the basement," Vincent said. "We're always thinking about the worst case scenario."
As part of the SWAT operation, police also brought in an armored personnel carrier, which is used in stand-off situations to move officers in and out of the scene and is typically used in these situations, Vincent said.
Three negotiators pleaded with the man until around 11:30 a.m., when he walked out of the front door and was taken into custody. Police say the man was hit with a taser before being placed into handcuffs and into a waiting ambulance.
He was transported to the psychiatric unit at Logan Regional Hospital. There were no other residents inside the home at the time of the stand-off.
Officers reportedly found a number of firearms in the man's home. Police say the distraught man was obviously intoxicated and was likely upset over issues with family members. A search of the home indicated the man may have been packing to move out before he called 911.
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