CEDAR CITY — A suspect wearing body armor was shot by a police officer Sunday night in Cedar City.

At 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, Cedar City Police officers were dispatched to the 1800 West block of Clark Parkway in Cedar City on a third-party report of a suicidal subject who may have harmed himself. There were also reported to be family in the residence including children.

Deputies of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office responded as well.

The suspect has been identified in a news release issued by the Cedar City Police Department as 38-year-old Benjamin Dee Wilcken. Ultimately, Wilcken barricaded himself in the garage of the residence.

Officers from the Iron Metro SWAT Team were dispatched to the scene where negotiations with the suspect began.

According to the police news release, Wilcken made threats directed at officers and nearby residents involving the detonation of explosives. On later search of residence, however, no explosive materials were found.

Residents of surrounding homes were evacuated for their safety. They all complied and left the area.

After nearly two hours of negotiations, police said, Wilcken entered from the garage into the home where officers were waiting to take him into custody. But, police said in their statement, he failed to comply with officers’ orders, adding:

Wilcken wielded a handheld weapon that he referred to as a ‘Battle Axe,’ toward the Officers.  Two Officers deployed Tasers with no effect.  A third Officer fired one round from his department issued handgun, striking Wilcken.  Wilcken retreated in to the garage again.

Several more hours of negotiation took place before the suspect surrendered peacefully without further incident.

“It was discovered that Wilcken was wearing military style body armor at the time that he was shot,” the release states. “Wilcken suffered some self-inflicted injuries that were not life threatening.”

He was transported to Cedar City Hospital where he was treated and released into the custody of the Cedar City Police Department.

Wilcken was booked into the Iron County Jail on charges of aggravated assault against law enforcement, a second degree felony, terroristic threats, a second degree felony, disorderly conduct, a class C misdemeanor, and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.

This incident is being investigated by the Iron/Beaver/Garfield Critical Incident Task Force and remains under investigation.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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