Report Says St. George Man Fired 150 Rounds At Police, Hadn’t Slept For Days Before Incident

A 41-year-old man is in jail after a police standoff turned violent in a St. George neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, during which the suspect reportedly fired more than 150 rounds at officers.

Benjamin Lewis Hansen was booked into the Washington County Jail following the standoff, and police are recommending he be charged with four counts of second-degree felony aggravated attempted murder.

Read More Here: Victim Lives Through Scary Murder Attempt In Southern Utah

Officers say the nature and volume of gunfire directed at them justifies the charge under Utah law.

Additional charges recommended by police include:

• Felony discharge of a firearm (third-degree felony)
• Domestic violence criminal mischief (class A misdemeanor)
• Possession of a dangerous weapon with criminal intent (class A misdemeanor)
• Carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence (class B misdemeanor)

Chain of Events: House Fire and Gunfire Exchange

According to a police affidavit, the incident began just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, when officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the Little valley area of St. George.

A woman told police that Hansen had fired a round inside the house before their arrival. She was able to exit the home and meet with officers safely.

The woman told authorities that Hansen had recently relapsed after six years of sobriety and had been drinking heavily. She said he had not slept in several days, and their fights had become more frequent.

Shortly after her exit, Hansen reportedly opened fire on police, discharging more than 150 rounds from inside the residence.

Officers maintained position outside until the home eventually caught fire. The affidavit says Hansen only exited the house once it was fully engulfed in flames and he was suffering from smoke inhalation.

After he exited the house, officers say he refused to comply and was taken into custody after being subdued with a taser.

Once in custody, Hansen admitted during an interview that he had fired more than 150 rounds and had been under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of the shooting.

History of Domestic Violence

Court records reveal that Hansen has a prior criminal history involving the same victim. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to several misdemeanors, including:

• Assault
• Domestic violence in the presence of a child
• Damaging a communication device

As part of that plea deal, Hansen served no jail time but was ordered to complete 24 hours of community service, pay a $690 fine, and attend treatment. He reportedly completed his community service within three months.

Court documents also show that Hansen had been attending psychiatric treatment as recently as April 2025 and had a follow-up appointment scheduled for later this month.

Firearm Access

Records show that Hansen’s firearm, a Kimber handgun, had previously been seized by police, but was released to a family member in January. That family member shared the same address where Tuesday’s standoff and house fire occurred.

No Bail Recommended

Due to the severity of the incident and Hansen’s history, police requested he be held without bail, citing the risk he poses to both the community and his immediate family. Officers also noted that additional felony charges are likely.

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