Man arrested in Wyoming after police say he made threats against Utah churches

A man who police say claimed to have a knife outside of a Cottonwood Heights church and said he was "feeling violent towards Catholics" Sunday was later arrested in Wyoming.

A man who police say claimed to have a knife outside of a Cottonwood Heights church and said he was "feeling violent towards Catholics" Sunday was later arrested in Wyoming. (Cottonwood Heights Police)


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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A man who police say made threats against churches in Utah was arrested in Wyoming on Sunday.

Cottonwood Heights police released a warning to residents Sunday about a man who they said called 911 and said he was outside a Catholic church, was holding a knife and was "feeling violent towards Catholics."

Police said he then fled the area in a gray Kia Soul with a California license plate, Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Gary Young said in a statement.

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He identified the man as Keith Barber, but said he also used the alias Troy Hire.

Barber made "threats of violence" against the Catholic Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to Young.

Police warned residents not to approach, attempt to apprehend, or follow Barber, and said he was "experiencing an unknown mental crisis and is believed to be armed and dangerous."

Barber was taken into police custody somewhere in Wyoming, Young said.

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Matt Brooks is a web producer with KSL.com. He previously worked for KSL NewsRadio.

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