Man arrested in connection with active shooter standoff in St. George

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — The man taken into custody following a shootout with police officers in St. George has been booked into the Washington County Jail.

Benjamin Hansen, 41, was booked into the Washington County Jail and is facing four counts of second-degree felony attempted aggravated murder, one count of third-degree felony discharge of a firearm, and misdemeanor criminal recklessly endanger human life, possession of a dangerous weapon with criminal intent, and carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence.

At around 4 p.m. on July 8, St. George Police officers responded to an active shooter threat near 3000 E Seegmiller Drive. According to the police, a single individual, identified as Hansen, barricaded himself in his home and began to shoot at police officers. Officers returned fire, but no injuries were reported.

According to court documents, Hansen allegedly fired over 150 rounds toward four officers during the incident. The officers reported being forced behind their patrol vehicles to take cover, adding that if they had not, they likely would have been struck by the gunfire.

A fire started inside the home at one point during the standoff, and police said that Hansen fled to the backyard and where he refused to cooperate with police. A police report said a taser was required to take Hansen safely into custody.

The incident reportedly started after Hansen and a victim he lived with got into an argument, and he relapsed into drinking alcohol. After being taken into custody, Hansen allegedly admitted to knowing he was shooting toward officers and firing at least one round in the house while the victim was inside.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing and detectives indicate that Hansen could face additional felony charges.

Previous charges

ABC4.com was able to determine through court records that Hansen has a history of aggravated assault and domestic violence. He also has a history of mental health issues.

A protective order was filed against him in 2020, but the documents related to the protective order are not available to the public.

In 2024, Hansen was arrested and charged with aggravated assault (a third degree felony), domestic violence in the presence of a child (a class B misdemeanor), and damage to a communication device (a class B misdemeanor).

According to the probable cause statement, in March 2024, officers were dispatched to Hansen’s home. Reportedly, Hansen was delusional and “hadn’t slept in two months.” Hansen’s wife reported the incident to police and stated that he grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against the wall.

Police also learned that there had been a similar fight the week before, where Hansen was “somewhat” delusional and “tried to point out things in pictures that were not there.”

Hansen’s wife told police that he pushed her towards the garage and then into the bathroom, knocking off the toilet paper dispenser from the wall and the door stop from the door in the process. Police found evidence that he choked her with his arm around her neck, though the wife stated that it restricted her airway “for only a second.” Their child was present and was screaming and crying.

Hansen’s wife told Hansen that she was going to call the police, and reportedly, Hansen grabbed the phone from her. She then ran to the neighbors to try to get help, but no one answered. When she returned, she found her phone, called the police, and locked herself and their child in a room until police arrived.

Hansen fled the scene when police arrived, but officers were able to locate him and take him into custody.

Hansen ultimately pleaded guilty in abeyance, which means that he plead guilty without receiving a conviction, as long as he fulfilled the conditions of the plea agreement. Part of that agreement included community service.