WASHINGTON COUNTY

CRITICAL INCIDENT TASK FORCE

BARRY GOLDING, DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS
33 NORTH 100 WEST, SUITE 200
ST. GEORGE, UTAH 84770
435-634-5723


September 12, 2014

For Immediate Release

Incident at Zions Bank and Subsequent Officer Involved Shooting


The Washington County Critical Incident Task Force has been deployed to investigate an officer
involved shooting that occurred in Washington City, Utah on the afternoon of September 11, 2014.

The investigation is ongoing and investigators from multiple agencies are actively working on the
case. The description of events described below is supported by the initial investigation, but
additional information may come to light as the investigation continues.

On September 11, 2014, at approximately 1:45 PM, St. George Police Department officers
responded to a report of a bank robbery at Zions Bank located at 717 South River Road, St. George.
A subject, later identified as Benjamin J. Schroff (age 37), entered Zions Bank. Schroff was wearing
a disguise and brandished a firearm. Schroff demanded money and bank employees complied.
After taking an undisclosed amount of money, Schroff took two female bank employees hostage.

Schroff and the hostages got into one of the hostages vehicles. One of the hostages drove the
vehicle at the command of Schroff. Shortly after leaving the bank, a witness identified the vehicle
Schroff and the hostages were in. After the vehicle was identified, there were multiple St. George
Police Officers that caught up with the suspect and attempted to stop the vehicle. Schroff
demanded that the hostage keep driving as he began discharging firearms from the vehicle toward
police officers. Schroff used at least two different firearms to shoot at the pursuing police vehicles.
Multiple police vehicles were hit by bullets fired by Schroff, but no officers were injured. The
pursuit took the suspect, hostages and officers into Washington City.

As the pursuit entered the area of 1575 South and Heritage Fields Drive in Washington City, Schroff
exited the vehicle and ran into a field carrying his firearms. After Schroff exited the vehicle, the two
hostages escaped by driving away. The hostages were not physically injured. Multiple police
agencies responded to the area and set up a containment perimeter. While searching the area into
which Schroff had fled, police encountered him. Schroff had a shotgun in his hands and was taking
a shooting position toward police officers. Officers gave Schroff repeated verbal commands.
Schroff did not comply with the officers commands. Officers discharged their firearms at Schroff
to prevent him from harming the officers or other citizens.




Two officers discharged their firearms and multiple shots were fired by each officer. Medical
assistance was summoned immediately to provide medical attention to Schroff. However, he was
pronounced dead at the scene, having succumbed to his injuries.

Two firearms were recovered at the scene, one handgun and one shotgun, which are believed to
have been possessed by Schroff. There was also evidence from the bank robbery that was recovered
at the scene. At the time of the shooting, in addition to the firearms, Schroff was carrying additional
ammunition and was wearing a bullet proof vest.

The investigation into the bank robbery is ongoing and is being conducted by the St. George Police
Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation into the shooting is
ongoing and being conducted by the Washington County Critical Incident Task Force. Anyone with
information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Washington County Attorneys Office at
435-634-5723 or the St. George Police Department dispatch if after hours at 435-627-4300.