Suspicious Circumstance Leads to Arrest of 51-Year-Old Man in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY — A 51-year-old man was apprehended on Saturday in connection with a “suspicious circumstance” that occurred on State Street. The suspect, identified as Arthur Lloyd Palmer, allegedly brandished a knife at the arresting officers and claimed to have explosives in his truck.

The incident unfolded around 4:35 p.m. when an officer pulled over Palmer due to an expired registration near the 824 South State Street area. Upon examining the registration, the officer noticed that the truck’s color had been changed from white to black. Additionally, the registered owner matched a hit from the National Crime Information Center in Arizona, indicating that Palmer was a noncompliant sex offender.

Palmer admitted to owning the vehicle and explained that he had recently repainted it. However, upon verification of his ID, the officer discovered that Palmer was indeed the noncompliant sex offender mentioned in the hit. Another officer was called in to assist with the arrest.

According to the arresting documents, when asked to exit the truck, Palmer pulled out a fixed-blade knife with a leather sheath in a display of aggression. He defiantly challenged the officers to “shoot him” while holding the knife. In response, one of the officers drew his gun. Eventually, Palmer dropped the knife onto his lap but refused to leave the vehicle. He was forcefully apprehended and placed in the back of a police car.

Further investigation revealed that Palmer had a criminal history, including a conviction for sexual conduct with a minor in Arizona back in 1996. He also had a separate guilty charge of arson in Arizona in 2010. The arresting document suggests that Palmer had been evading capture and registry in Utah for several years.

While conducting an inventory of Palmer’s truck for impounding, officers discovered several jars filled with liquid and other suspicious objects. Concerned about a possible explosive threat, a bomb squad known as the Hazardous Devices Unit (HDU) was summoned to the scene. As a precaution, the 800 block of State Street was closed, and nearby businesses were evacuated.

The bomb squad located at least two devices in the truck, and Palmer provided information on their functionality and intended use. He claimed to possess explosives that he planned to utilize in an imminent “World War III” against his perceived “enemy.” The HDU is still investigating both the vehicle and the devices, which could result in additional charges for Palmer. Although the police did not confirm the legitimacy of the explosive threat, they safely removed the materials and will store them as evidence.

Palmer now faces a slew of charges, including two second-degree felony counts of recklessness for possessing an incendiary device, twelve third-degree felony counts for failing to register as a sex offender, two Class-A misdemeanor counts for failing to maintain a current ID card as a sex/child abuse offender, a third-degree felony charge for aggravated assault, a Class B misdemeanor charge for interference with an arresting officer, a third-degree felony charge for possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, and a charge for failure to register an expired vehicle registration.

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1. Noncompliant sex offender expired registration
2. Threatened explosives State Street shutdown.