Salt Lake City Police Department reported that 24-year-old Kade Tuttle was shot and killed outside his own apartment door on November 3 after his roommate allegedly fired a single round through it, then barricaded himself inside for hours before surrendering to police. Kade Tuttle had reportedly called police to say his roommate had locked him out and wouldn't let him back in — a call that preceded his death within the same encounter, according to KSL.com.
Officers arrived at the apartment at 768 N Redwood Road and found Tuttle on the ground outside the door with what police described as an apparent gunshot wound, according to KSL. He was declared deceased at the scene, as reported by ABC4 Utah. The suspect, identified in ABC4's reporting as James Stacy Riedman — though KSL and FOX 13 spell the middle name Stacey — was arrested on first-degree felony murder and second-degree felony obstruction of justice charges.
Suspect Allegedly Admitted Firing Through the Door
According to the affidavit cited by KSL, Riedman told investigators he decided to lock Tuttle out because he felt he was being taken advantage of and had safety concerns over Tuttle's behavior. He reportedly told police he felt Tuttle had been disrespecting him since moving into the apartment. Riedman said he fired one round through the front door, hoping only to scare Tuttle, who had been knocking outside, as reported by FOX 13.
The same ABC4 account notes that after hearing a gasp outside, Riedman did not open the door to check whether anyone had been hurt, and he did not contact emergency services himself. Officers who responded instead found Tuttle lying on the ground outside the apartment. Riedman then barricaded himself inside the residence, leading to an hours-long standoff with police before he was taken into custody, the outlet reported.
Held Without Bail at Salt Lake County Jail
ABC4 reported that Riedman is being held without bail in the Salt Lake County Jail. As with any pending case, the charges remain allegations, and Riedman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Salt Lake City police confirmed in a public statement that homicide detectives had arrested a man in connection with the case; the department's post also included the investigation date, the victim's identity and age, and details about the barricade, surrender and round fired through the door, as noted by Salt Lake City Police Department.
Family Remembers a 'Soft-Hearted' Young Man
Lenny Siale, Tuttle's former foster father, met with ABC4 to remember Tuttle, describing him as non-violent and kind. “He is non-violent, he is a kind person,” Siale said, adding that he has been in a state of absolute shock since the incident. Siale's brother, Lenny Siale-Lomu, who was also a foster father to Tuttle, said Tuttle was soft-hearted and the last person the family expected to experience something like this.
Those who knew Tuttle described him as witty, spunky, and very non-confrontational, according to the same ABC4 report. He enjoyed anime and video games, the outlet noted — small details that, for his family, now stand in sharp contrast to the violent way his life ended outside the apartment he called home.
