BOX ELDER COUNTY — The suspect in the fatal shooting of two Tremonton police officers, Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Ofc. Eric Estrada, has been identified as Ryan Michael Bate, 33.
According to booking records, Bate was arrested on suspicion to commit two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted aggravated murder and one count of assault, and was booked into the Weber County Jail on Monday morning.
The shooting occurred Sunday night when officers responded to a series of 911 hang-up calls. Police said Bate was armed with a high-powered rifle and opened fire on Sorensen and Estrada.
A Box Elder County sheriff’s deputy, who was responding to a call for backup, was also shot and wounded in their patrol vehicle. The deputy’s K-9 was also injured. Both the deputy and the K-9 are recovering.
Sorensen, 56, a 17-year law enforcement veteran, was recently promoted to sergeant at the Garland Police Department and was scheduled to be sworn in on Friday. Sorensen spent 16 years with the department and was recognized by the Tremonton Fire Department in February with a Distinguished Service Award for his work assisting fire and EMS units. He also received Garland City’s Wheelon Award in 2020 with his wife for their impact on the city. He is survived by his wife and their children.
Estrada, 31, a husband and father of two, began his law enforcement career in 2017 with the Logan Police Department. He later worked at the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office and as a patrol officer and detective for the North Park Police Department before joining the Tremonton Police Department earlier this year. A member of the community outreach team, Estrada was known for his love of interacting with people and his passion for being on patrol. He is survived by his wife, Brittney, and their two children, Cienna and Luka.
According to court records, Bate has a history of domestic violence.
In one instance in 2021, Bate was arrested after police were called to his home. He agreed to a plea in abeyance, and the charges were later dismissed after he complied with the terms.
Most recently, in May 2024, Bate was charged with aggravated assault and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. Charging documents say Bate grabbed a woman by the throat, making it difficult for her to breathe, while their children were present.
A judge lifted a “no-contact order” in that case on June 10, 2024, allowing Bate to have contact with the victim, with the condition that there be “no violence or threat of violence.”
Prosecutors had objected to the order being lifted.
The case was later dismissed on August 26, 2024.