A 47-year-old man is facing murder and obstruction of justice charges following a shooting on Redwood Road in Salt Lake City, according to a November 4 report from Somos Utah.
James Riedman was arrested after a multi-hour negotiation with SWAT and crisis negotiation teams following the death of his 24-year-old roommate.
The incident began on Tuesday, November 3, when a 911 call was placed at 1:05 p.m. reporting that a roommate had been locked out of his residence. Salt Lake City police officers arrived to find a man lying on the ground outside the apartment, where he was pronounced dead.
According to police, Riedman admitted to detectives that he intentionally left the victim outside because he believed the man was taking advantage of him. Riedman told investigators he feared the man would enter the home and cause him harm, leading him to fire a single shot through a door to scare the victim. The bullet struck and killed the 24-year-old man.
The shooting caused significant disruption in the area near 760 North Redwood Road. Residents of the apartment complex were instructed to remain indoors, and Redwood Road was closed in both directions between 700 North and 800 North during the incident.
Investigators noted that while Riedman claimed he was in danger, he could not provide clear reasons for why he believed there was an immediate threat. Riedman, who had been renting a room at the location for several weeks, was taken to the Salt Lake County Jail.
The Salt Lake City Police Department noted that the charges against Riedman are currently accusations and that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The police department has not yet released information regarding formal charges filed by the prosecutor or a scheduled court date for the case.
The investigation remains ongoing. Updates will be provided as court documents become available.
