Officer shot to death while on duty

The 44-year-old officer was fatally shot in the head.

Bell said police hoped to get answers from an unidentified woman who was with Henderson at the scene of a auto crash earlier in the day.

Henderson had a criminal record, according to Winder. The Unified police gang unit was apparently close to recapturing him.

Authorities say the incident in a Salt Lake City suburb began with a vehicle crash involving Henderson and a woman in a BMW. According to witnesses, she stumbled and fell as she was walking away so she might be injured. No charges against her are pending because she wasn’t with Henderson during the shootings.

At that time, a federal magistrate judge sent Henderson to a treatment center run by the Utah Department of Corrections. He had been paroled from prison April 28, 2015, after serving 14 months. His sentenced was shortened for the completion of a drug treatment program. He was arrested and went back to prison in October. Within days, Henderson disappeared from the rehab facility, which allows parolees to make visits to school, work or to see family. He also had outstanding federal and state arrest warrants. Snyder couldn’t be reached for comment and it was unclear if he has an attorney.

The services will be open to the public starting at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at the Maverik Center in West Valley City. A candlelight vigil is also scheduled Wednesday in Holladay. “I know (Doug Barney’s) family wants to know why – why would this guy shoot and kill one of the most wonderful men you’d ever meet”.

“There was no shootout there”, Bell said.

Barney, a married father of three teenagers, had volunteered to work overtime Sunday to help pay for his medical treatments after surviving bladder cancer, the Deseret News reported.

Henderson was shot and killed when he later exchanged gun fire with Richey who was shot three times. “Obviously, I don’t want to believe that…The universe needed him elsewhere”.

Bell had worked closely with the slain officer and said the two shared Twizzlers candy and their memories of their first patrol jobs last week. “He was that way”, Bell said.

“He is still in the hospital, but his condition is improving, which we’re very happy to report”, he says.