This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Salt Lake City police officer was stabbed in the back and a second officer suffered a neck injury during a fight that broke out early Saturday while they investigated the theft of a cellphone, officials said.
The injuries were not life-threatening and both officers were treated at LDS Hospital and released Saturday morning, Lt. Carl Merino said. Two adults and two juveniles were taken to jail and two other adults were cited in the attack.
Police received a call that a cellphone had been stolen during a fireworks display Friday night at Sugar House Park, Merino said. The victims used tracking technology to trace the phone to a residence at 985 N. Riverside Lane (1605 West) and waited outside for police to arrive.
When the officers arrived just after midnight, they were confronted by a group of 10 to 12 people, apparently including gang members, according to Merino. The two were attacked and the officer received the neck injury when he was pushed down the home's outside stairs.
The other officer realized he himself had been hurt and asked others who had arrived as backup to check his back, Merino said. As they were helping him remove his gun belt, a knife with a 3-inch blade fell off his lower back.
Merino said the fight was recorded on cellphones by people in the home and that the video will be used as evidence.
The names of the officers and the suspects have not been released. Merino said charges are pending.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC