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| 2025 shootings of Tremonton police officers | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tremonton, Utah, U.S. |
| Date | August 18, 2025 |
Attack type | Shooting |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Injured | 1 |
| Accused | Ryan Michael Bate, 32 |
On August 18, 2025, in a neighborhood in Tremonton, Utah, a shooting incident led to the deaths of two police officers and a third police officer wounded. The suspect was arrested and is currently in custody under charges of aggravated murder. [1]
On August 18, 2025, in a local neighborhood in Tremonton, Utah, a team of police officers from the Tremonton-Garland Police Department arrived at one of the houses in response to a woman's police report of domestic violence. [2] [3]
According to court documents, a man living in the house got into a violent altercation with his wife. He allegedly headbutted her, slammed her head with a door, grabbed her throat, and pushed her against a wall, threatening to kill her. This assault reportedly occurred in the presence of their three children. The woman lodged the police report but hung up the call, and upon the arrival of the police, the wife denied any physical violence had taken place. As the officer began to leave, the suspect allegedly retrieved a rifle and fired at the officer's patrol vehicle. The suspect also fired another shot and killed the first officer just as the latter called for backup and stepped out to help the suspect's wife. [4]
Shortly after, a second officer arrived at the scene and saw his colleague lying in the road. As he rushed to help, the suspect allegedly fired another shot, killing the second officer. A sheriff's deputy and a police dog were also shot, but non fatally, at the scene. [4]
Subsequently, the man agreed to surrender and drop his weapon at the persuasion of the bystanders. Over 50 officers arrived at the scene in response to the shooting. A police SWAT team arrived at the scene to verify that there were no further threats. [5]
The victims were identified as Sergeant Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada, aged 56 and 31 respectively at the time of their deaths. Sorensen was a 16-year veteran of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department for 16 years. A native of Garland, Utah, Sorensen began his career with the Garland Police Department before it merged with Tremonton’s force. He was known for his dedication to public service and was honored, along with his wife Lanette (a volunteer firefighter and emergency manager), with the Wheelon Award in 2020. Earlier in 2025, Sorensen received a distinguished service award from the Tremonton Fire Department for his support of local firefighters and EMTs. [6] [7]
Estrada began his law enforcement career in 2017 with the Logan Police Department and later served with the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office and North Park Police Department, and he subsequently joined the Tremonton-Garland Police Department in 2025, the same year he was killed. [6] [8]
The surviving deputy, Mike Allred, was rushed to a local hospital, while the police dog, a female Belgian Malinois nicknamed "Azula", was taken to a veterinary clinic. Allerd and the dog, who were reportedly in fair condition, survived their injuries with medical treatment and by August 19, 2025, they were discharged. [9] [10]
The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Ryan Michael Bate (born September 1, 1992) of Tremonton, was arrested and held without bail at the Weber County Jail. He was charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense in Utah, along with attempted aggravated murder and assault. [11]
Prior to the shooting, Bate was previously charged in May 2024 for domestic violence-related offenses, including aggravated assault and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. In that case, he was accused of choking a woman during an argument while their three children were present. Despite visible injuries on the victim and the severity of the allegations, those charges were ultimately dismissed. Shortly before the shooting, Bate had assaulted his wife by slamming her head into a doorframe. Additionally, in 2019, a woman sought a protective order against Bate. In 2021, Bate was also charged with misdemeanor domestic violence assault. The case was later dismissed in a plea deal. [12] [13]
On August 21, 2025, the prosecution announced that they would seek the death penalty for Bate, who faced a total of 20 charges (including capital charges of murder) for the shooting, and Governor Spencer Cox supported the prosecution's decision, stating that it was an appropriate sentence required in this case. Aggravated murder carries the possibility of capital punishment or life in prison under Utah state law. [14] [15] [16] The following day, Bate had an initial appearance in court. A preliminary hearing date was set for October 30, 2025. [17]
In response to the shooting, Dustin Cordova, chief of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department, described the deaths of Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada as “every cop’s worst nightmare.” He called both officers “heroes,” emphasizing that their actions likely prevented further loss of life. Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter and Chief Deputy Cade Palmer also commended Deputy Mike Allred, the sole survivor of the shooting, for preventing further loss of lives by directing incoming officers away from the line of fire. [18] [19]
Tremonton Mayor Lyle Holmgren offered his condolences to the families of the fallen officers and honored their courage, stating that the victims served the community with both dedication and courage. Similarly, Garland Mayor Linda Bourne expressed both deep sorrow and condolences for the victims and their families. [18] [20] Utah Governor Spencer Cox also described the deaths of the officers as "a terrible and tragic night" and labelled their actions as "courageous". According to Holmgren, the incident marked the first double homicide of police officers in Utah in over a century. [21] [22]
Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes released a statement as he paid condolences to the victims, "Tragedies like these rock the entire community, state, and even nation. These officers and their families served their community every day and will forever be remembered as heroes." [23] Thousands of citizens gathered in downtown Logan and Garland to pay respects to the victims, as a police motorcade was conducted to escort the corpses of the officers to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner in Taylorsville and then back home to northern Utah. [24]