OGDEN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - An Ogden man is in critical condition after shooting himself in the chest during a 17 hour standoff with police. According to police, Jason Valdez shot himself after SWAT members stormed his motel room Saturday morning at the Western Colony Inn on 24th Street in Ogden.
Valdez allegedly fired several shots at SWAT members with a semi-automatic handgun before turning the gun on himself. According to police, Valdez had a female hostage in the room with him from Friday night until Saturday morning around ten o'clock, when the standoff ended. No one besides Valdez was hurt during the incident.
Police were searching for Valdez with a felony drug warrant on Friday, when he ran into his motel room. According to family members who Valdez called during the standoff, he did not want to go back to prison. "He was sick and tired of being harassed by police. They treated him like a gangbanger even though he's done his time," says family member Manuel Navarro.
Valdez updated his Facebook status numerous times during the standoff with posts such as "this is the end."
Extensive damage was done to the motel room. According to managers, it's going to cost thousands of dollars to repair the bullet riddled walls, torn up matresses, and broken applicances.
Valdez is in critical condition at McKay -Dee hospital in Ogden.
