Providence man apprehended after standoff with SWAT

<strong>PROVIDENCE</strong>—Cache County Sheriff’s deputies and SWAT team, along with the Logan City Police Department SWAT team responded to calls of an armed suicidal man at the address of 104 E. Center Street in Providence Thursday afternoon. After a standoff of nearly seven hours, police apprehended the man without a struggle.

A man identified by friends and neighbors as 23-year-old Bryson Miller was taken to Logan Regional Hospital after turning himself over to police at 7:30 p.m., Thursday night. Authorities responded to the residence where he lives after receiving a tip from his mother at 12:45 p.m., that Miller was going to commit suicide. He also reportedly told his mother that he had taken heroin.

Police did say Miller was extremely intoxicated, but could not confirm whether it was due to drugs or alcohol.

“He voluntarily surrendered once they found him in the house,” said Cache County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Matt Bilodeau. “He has no injuries to speak of, some minor scrapes and bruising. He’s highly intoxicated under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

Shortly before police arrived, there were reports of gunfire within the home – reportedly a shotgun – and the surrounding area was shut down. Neighbors were evacuated from their homes, and moved to a local LDS chapel.

Negotiators were able to make contact with Miller, and between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m., he announced to them that he was going to take a shower and then call them to let them know he was coming out. Despite repeated attempts over the next three hours, that was the last communication between Miller and the police before his arrest.

After more than two hours of silence, the SWAT team executed a breach with a robot. Equipped with a camera and two way communication device, this robot allowed authorities a view inside the home and another way to try and communicate with Miller.

At 6:43 p.m., SWAT tossed some gas grenades into the residence filled with a pepper spray like substance. Percussion grenades also may have been used, though this was not confirmed by authorities.

Finally, shortly before 7:30 p.m., the SWAT teams entered the residence. Miller moved to the back yard and turned himself over without any force being used. 

Bilodeau did say the incident would be further investigated, and charges could be filed. 

“In most cases they’ll do warrant on the house so they can search the house legally and see what’s inside, see if maybe there’s some drugs or something they he shouldn’t have had access to,” Bilodeau said. “Some of the charges could be based on that.”

Gathered outside, friends and neighbors said that though Miller had some problems with the law, as well as drugs and alcohol in the past, those days seemed to be behind him. A close friend and former schoolmate who had talked to Miller that morning said everyone thought that he was cleaning up and getting better. The friend did say Miller had recently had some relationship problems, which had been stressing him out.

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