Font ResizeA concealed weapon carrier foiled two burglars when he caught them exiting his friend's Midvale apartment, chased them down, and held them at gunpoint until police arrived.
A man was returning home from a doctor appointment at 7:15 a.m. in the 200 West block of Center Street shortly before the incident, said Sgt. John Salazar of the Midvale Police Department. The man and a friend spotted two burglars coming out of the man's apartment, Salazar said.
The four exchanged words, and one of the intruders pushed the man and fled, said Salazar. The man chased the burglars while his friend -- a concealed-carry permit holder -- got his gun from his truck, Salazar said.
The man and his friend chased the burglars to Midvale Elementary School, 362 W. Center St. (7800 South). The friend fired twice, but Salazar did not immediately know whether the friend fired at the burglars.
The shots prompted one intruder to stop running, Salazar said, and the man and his friend held him at gunpoint until police arrived. Police later found the second burglar -- along with jackets and other items taken from the home, Salazar said. The burglars were not armed.
Both burglars have extensive criminal histories, and one of them is out on parole, Salazar said. They were arrested on suspicion of residential burglary, theft and criminal mischief. The man who pushed the resident also could face an assault charge.
The friend could face charges for firing his
"If he fired at random just because he didn't want to chase the guy, the threat wasn't coming towards him, it was running away from him," Salazar said. That could lead to a minimum charge of discharging of fire in a city limits, he said.
