Charges officially filed against alleged Tremonton shooter, seeking death penalty

This story includes descriptions of domestic violence. Support for victims and survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence is available 24/7: 1-800-897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, please call 911 immediately

BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Official charges have been filed against Ryan Bate, the alleged shooter who

killed two Tremonton Garland Police Officers and injured a deputy. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Ryan Bate, 32, has been charged with 20 charges, including two capital offenses. Prosecutors also filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty.

Bate is accused of killing two Tremonton Garland Police Officers, Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada, and injuring Box Elder County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Allred and his K-9 Azula.

He was charged with:

• Two counts of aggravated murder, which are capital offenses
• Four charges of attempted aggravated murder (first-degree felony)
• Endangering a police service K-9 with the intent to injure/kill (third-degree felony)
• Three counts of possessing an explosive or incendiary device (second-degree felony)
• Two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon with criminal intent (class A misdemeanor)
• Three counts of assault, domestic violence with prior (class A misdemeanor)
• One count of unlawful detainment, domestic violence with prior (class A misdemeanor)
• One count of threat of violence, domestic violence with prior (class A misdemeanor)
• Three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child (Class B misdemeanor)

The prosecutor also chose to refile a previous domestic violence case against Bate that was dismissed without prejudice on August 27, 2024.

Those charges include aggravated assault (domestic violence), a third-degree felony; three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child (injury/weapon/death), which are third-degree felonies; and property damage (domestic violence with prior), a class A misdemeanor.

According to the charges filed related to the shooting, Bate got into an argument with his wife and headbutted her, slammed her head with a door, and grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against the wall. He also allegedly held her down on the bed, restraining her movement, and repeatedly threatened to kill her.

Three minor children were present during these events. The wife reportedly called dispatch and hung up in an effort to get law enforcement to come out to their home.

The first officer, who was not identified in the charges, arrived at the home and spoke with the wife and Bate. He began to leave after he was told that there was no physical violence, but as he was leaving, Bate allegedly shot the first officer’s vehicle with a rifle as the officer was driving away.

Those shots missed, and the officer parked his vehicle and called for backup. He got out of his car, and the wife ran down the street, yelling that Bate had a gun. As the officer crossed the street to try to help the wife, Bate allegedly fired another shot that hit and killed the officer.

Shortly after that, the second officer, who was also not identified in the charges, arrived at the scene and discovered the first officer laying in the road. As he rushed to try to help the first officer, Bate allegedly fired another shot, hitting and killing the second officer.

Later, a K-9 deputy (Deputy Allred) arrived on the scene, and as he arrived, Bate allegedly fired two more shots while the deputy was still in his vehicle. The shots injured Allred and also struck the K-9 cage, injuring his dog Azula.

A neighbor drove down the street in a vehicle that looked like it was an unmarked police vehicle, and Bate allegedly fired one shot, hitting the vehicle and barely missing the driver. The neighbor then fled the scene.

According to the charges, Bate then approached the two fallen officers with a revolver and a rifle in hand, “as he continued to look around for other targets.”

He was eventually subdued and taken into custody. While officers searched the home, they found three Molotov cocktails.