Beaver Dam, AZ –

“I watched it all unfold from my trailer,” said Virgin Mountain Estates RV Park resident Dan Sheldon, a witness to the officer-involved shooting incident yesterday involving a hostage situation nearby Old Hwy 91 in Beaver Dam/Littlefield, AZ, that took place between about 2:24 pm and 3:10 pm PST.

Dan Sheldon stated he never expected what occurred to happen there and last but not least, within 60 feet of his location. The actual incident occurred in the desert area by the RV Park just off of Biasi Ranch Road and Old Hwy 91.

Sheldon who took some photos of the incident (available for view at end of article), one being of the police SWAT sniper laying across a toolbox on the back of a truck taking aim. He described what occurred within seconds after he took that photo. “You can see in the picture where the officer (Sniper) laying across the bed box in this truck and trailer parked next to the road across from my position. The suspect is in a white shirt on the left side of the picture.”

Dan Sheldon who is a “Snowbird” stays at the Virgin Mountain Estates Mobile Home and RV Park during the winters since 2016 and then goes back up to the backside of the Uintah Mountains in Hannah, Utah during the summers. He has property and house in Salt Lake City, but is doing the full-time RV-travel life. Sheldon said this incident was the craziest thing he had seen here. “It was an intense time here in this quiet area of Arizona.”

Sheldon reported that right after he took the photograph of the SWAT Sniper, he heard three shots. Dan Sheldon described it as follows in his own words.

“Just after I snapped the photo, I heard the first shot, then saw the suspect turn and head away. Then there was a second shot, and it appeared the suspect stumbled. He a little further, and I heard the 3rd shot. At that time, it appeared he went down. Law enforcement ran out into the BLM land. The officers held a line as many other officers joined. After a short time, the officers rushed into two different groups. I believe one group rushed to the recovery of the toddler. The second group rushed to the west of what I believed was the child’s location. That was where the suspect was deceased. The officers picked up the toddler and ran back toward my direction. I watched through binoculars and snap pictures when I could. The toddler did not look injured and you can see them in my photo with the officer carrying the child to safety.”

Saint George Police Department, Washington City Police Department, and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office released a joint media release and statement on the officer-involved shooting with some information about the incident.

The media release stated that Washington City Police Detectives were trying to make contact with a suspect about a disorderly conduct incident where a firearm was brandished. That disorderly incident had occurred on Saturday, February 12, 2022, in Washington City, Utah. According to the media release, the detectives were led to an address in St. George where the suspect was seen leaving the premises as a passenger in a small SUV. The detectives performed a traffic stop on the vehicle, where the female exited the vehicle notifying the officers that the suspect was in the back seat with a firearm. She also notified the detectives that her infant son was in the vehicle.

The suspect slid into the driver seat and took off in the vehicle taking the police on a high speed car chase. The chase took police through Washington City, St. George, Ivins, Santa Clara, and onto the Old Hwy 91, recently renamed as Old Dixie Hwy by the Washington Utah County Commissioners Board. The suspect was met by police who responded from Nevada and Arizona and the SUV came to a stop by Old Hwy 91 and near Beaver Dam. The suspect fled the vehicle with a firearm (handgun) and the infant into the nearby desert area.

Law Enforcement agencies set up a containment area, shutting down traffic and established communication with the suspect by cell phone.

The statement stated, “The suspect continued to threaten to kill the child and was observed pointing the gun at the child. Despite officer’s efforts to peacefully resolve this incident, at least one officer fired a weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect died at the scene.”

The child was safe with no apparent harm or injuries but was transported by Beaver Dam Fire and Rescue to Saint George Regional Hospital for health evaluation and ensure no harm came to the child.

Mohave County Sheriff’s Office did a social media release at about 1:41 pm PST on their Facebook Page and social media profiles. The suspect was identified as Oscar Alcantara, a 30 year-old male. The female and mother of the child was an acquaintance of Alcantara.

According to the scanner broadcast, the suspect Alcantara was a Native American from Nevada and it was also stated that the female acquaintance was Alcantara’s girlfriend. However, this information was from the police scanner broadcast and not all information was known or proven to be fact at the time and has not been confirmed. It was also reported by residents of Beaver Dam that the stolen vehicle was a brown Jeep or SUV. The truck pulling a trailer that was used by the SGPD Tactical Team for the Sniper to set up post at was of a visitor who was gone and had taken his SxS (OHV) out for a joyride and came back to find out his vehicle was now part of a crime scene and could not leave until they were done processing the scene. The agencies involved were at the crime scene and processing the scene until shortly after 9:30 pm PST.

The witness, Dan Sheldon, finalized his recall of the incident with praise for the police. “My hat goes off to all law enforcement, enforcement officers, and agencies involved. My heart does go out to the officer that had to take a life today. But under the circumstances it was the right thing to do.”

The incident is still an open investigation and ongoing.

Media Release from SGPD, WCPD, MCSO

Related Articles:

UPDATED: Hostage Situation on Old Hwy 91

More Photos (Courtesy of Dan Sheldon):