This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Police responded to a report of a machete-wielding man having attacked a woman and man early Wednesday morning near downtown Salt Lake City's homeless shelters.
Salt Lake City police Lt. Mike Cross said officers responded to a 911 call at 310 S. 500 W. about 3 a.m., where a 50-year-old woman said she had been struck on the back of the head. Shortly thereafter, a 30-year-old male with a partially severed ear was found nearby.
Witnesses told police that the assailant — apparently upset over being assaulted himself earlier in the day — thought the woman had been involved. A confrontation ensued and he allegedly struck her with either a machete or a sharp stick; accounts differed, Cross said.
The male victim allegedly was injured when he came to the woman's aid and the suspect attacked him, too.
A crowd of transients then began to chase the attacker, who pulled out a handgun and fired twice into the air before fleeing on foot.
The suspect, described as a tall, thin white male in his 30s, remained at large.
The victims were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and were reported to be in fair condition.
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