Alert – Shocking moment a Utah homeowner pulled a shotgun on a snowboarder who took a shortcut through his property

A snowboarder captured the moment a Utah homeowner pointed a shotgun at him for taking a shortcut that allegedly crossed through his property.

In February, Loren Richardson was filming himself snowboarding in Big Cottonwood Canyon when he came across a man wielding a shotgun.

Richardson appeared to be snowboarding a down plowed path when the man approached, shoving him and yelling at him, ‘Private property, you [unintelligible]!’

The snowboarder apologized and explained he did not know he could not be there, but the property owner continued to threaten him.

‘Do it again and there will be holes in you,’ the man said.

As Richardson walked away the homeowner said, ‘I have every right to protect my property!’ 

Loren Richardson was filming himself snowboarding in Big Cottonwood Canyon in February when he came across a man wielding a shotgun

Richardson appeared to be snowboarding down plowed path when the man approached, shoving him and yelling at him, ‘Private property, you [unintelligible]!’

Richardson posted the video of the interaction to Instagram and said, ‘Little did I know it might have been the last run forever for me.’ 

The snowboarder said the path he was taking lead to his Airbnb near the Brighton Resort.

‘Right away he points the gun at me. And that’s where in the video you can see I turn both hands go up like, ‘Whoa,’ Richardson told The Salt Lake Tribune.

‘My stomach was in my throat. I was just like: Be apologetic. I don’t know. Why he’s going to shoot me? Why is this happening?’ 

As Richardson unclips from his snowboard he walks down the path and meets two skiers who said they had a similar experience.

‘Shotgun! Shotgun pointed right at me!’ Richardson said. ‘I know, right?’ one of the skiers responded.

‘It’s like living on a golf course and not expecting golf balls at your house,’ Richardson told FOX 13.

Ryan Rigstad told the Salt Lake Tribune his unnamed friend was threatened by the same man who put the stock of his rifle into the skier’s ribs. 

‘I just don’t understand that escalation. I would be fine if he sat there in that blind corner and yelled at people. That would be fine. Or even have a big stick. But a gun?’ Rigstad said.

Multiple complaints have been filed to the Unified Police Department about the man, including from Richardson and Rigstad, but no charges have been filed.

Brighton Mayor Dan Knopp told FOX 13 he is aware of problems with the property area near Old Prospect Avenue and is working on deescalating the situation.

‘They’ve got no trespassing signs, we get that. But what’s not acceptable is standing there with a gun and menacing people,’ said Knopp. 

The snowboarder said the path he was taking lead to his Airbnb near the Brighton Resort 

The snowboarder apologized and explained he did not know he could not be there, but the property owner continued to threated him. ‘Do it again and there will be holes in you,’ the man said

As Richardson walked away the homeowner said, ‘I have every right to protect my property’

‘We’re a small community, we usually handle this ourselves. I’ve got a couple of his friends talking to him. We want it to just take a notch down.’

The armed man has reportedly lived in Brighton for 12 years and several neighbors have told the mayor they have had problems with the man over the years.

‘He never should have bought a cabin next to a ski resort if that’s an issue,’ the mayor said. ‘That’s like buying a house next to a pig farm and then complaining about the smell.’ 

Brighton Ski Resort officials said, ‘We want to convey our profound concern and highlight our ongoing collaboration with the private landowners within the community, the Town of Brighton, and the Unified Police Department.’

‘Together, we aim to prevent any recurrence of such occurrences in the future.’