Millcreek man faces more than 30 felony charges for allegedly shooting at police

by · KSL.com

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Kye Richard Funk, 37, faces over 30 charges for allegedly firing at officers.
  • The incident on Sept. 9 involved Funk firing multiple rounds near Millcreek, police say.
  • Police convinced Funk to surrender after he allegedly threatened officers with a rifle.

MILLCREEK — A 37-year-old man who police say fired off multiple rounds from a rifle — including some shots in the direction of officers — is now facing over 30 criminal charges.

Kye Richard Funk, of Millcreek, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with four counts of assault on an officer, a second-degree felony; and 27 counts of illegal discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony.

"Funk was intoxicated, armed with a rifle, and made statements about the incident ending in a 'bloody mess' and wanting officers to kill him. He then fired multiple rounds in the direction of (four officers) causing the officers to fear for their lives and resulting in damage to his residence and a neighboring residence," according to charging documents. "After leaving the area with the rifle, Funk told officers they would have to kill him and that he was going to take officers with him."

The incident happened on Sept. 9 at a residence near 1900 East and 3100 South. Unified police were told that Funk had gone into his backyard and was "intoxicated, suicidal, and armed with a rifle" and "might attempt 'suicide by cop,'" charging documents state.

Police were originally called to the residence because a family member threatened to kick Funk out of the house because of his drinking, "and Funk responded that it 'will be a bloody mess,'" according to the charges.

Four officers made sure the family member got out of the home safe. But "as they were backing away (from the home), multiple gunshots were fired from the area of the residence in their direction. (One officer) heard approximately five to six shots, observed a muzzle flash from the area of the driveway, and was struck in the face by debris," the charges state.

One bullet went through a nearby wood fence. Not long after, emergency dispatchers received multiple calls from residents about Funk running through the neighborhood carrying a rifle, according to the charges.

A SWAT team was asked to respond to this scene, and a reverse 911 call was sent out to residents within a 3-mile radius telling them to shelter in place, Unified police stated.

Before SWAT team members fully mobilized, however, an officer spotted Funk, who was still carrying a rifle, near 3000 South and 1850 East.

"Funk initially failed to comply with officers' commands. (The officer) heard Funk state that officers were going to have to kill him and that he was going to take officers with him," the charges state.

Police, however, eventually convinced Funk to put down his rifle and surrender. He was taken into custody without any shots being fired by police.

Numerous spent shell casings were recovered from the backyard, "along with a rifle bag, backpack, additional magazines, loose ammunition, a loaded handgun, and .40 caliber ammunition," according to the charges. "Backyard and driveway surveillance captured multiple volleys of gunfire, debris flying, and apparent impacts to the ground. … A residence across the street also sustained damage, and a projectile was recovered from that property."

One officer noted that "it appeared Funk had been hiding in the backyard waiting to ambush officers," and Funk replied the officer was correct, the charges state.

Suicide prevention resources

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Crisis hotlines

  • Huntsman Mental Health Institute Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
  • SafeUT Crisis Line: 833-372-3388
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis LifeLine at 988
  • Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386

Online resources

Warning signs of suicide

  • Talking about wanting to die
  • Looking for a way to kill oneself
  • Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
  • Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
  • Talking about being a burden to others
  • Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
  • Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly
  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Withdrawing or feeling isolated
  • Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
  • Displaying extreme mood swings

The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.

Information from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

What to do if you see warning signs of suicide

  • Do not leave the person alone
  • Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt
  • Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

Information from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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Pat Reavy

Pat Reavy interned with KSL in 1989 and has been a full-time journalist for either KSL or Deseret News since 1991. For the past 25 years, he has worked primarily the cops-and-courts beat.