Aubrey WieberAfter being stabbed in the neck in what appears to be a random act of violence, a man pulled a gun and shot his fleeing attacker in West Valley City on Friday.
Both men were taken to the hospital but have since been released.
The incident happened outside a convenience store at 3500 South 4400 West a little after 11 p.m., Lt. Jeff Conger said. One man was renting a Redbox movie when a 21-year-old man walked by him and went into the store to buy some beer.
When the man left the store, he allegedly walked behind the man renting a movie and stabbed him in the back of the neck with a pocket knife.
The stabber fled, Conger said, and the victim went to his car and got a handgun and shot at the fleeing man, hitting him at least once.
Both sustained injuries that weren’t life-threatening. The suspect was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of aggravated assault and a restricted person in possession of a dangerous weapon.
Conger said, based on the stab wound, it appears the knife was small.
Conger said the men didn’t know each other prior to the stabbing, and they exchanged few, if any, words. He said it doesn’t appear the 21-year-old was trying to rob the other man.
Conger said the suspect has a criminal history and is “probably not a good person.”
Aubrey started at The Tribune in November 2017 covering breaking news, crime and courts. He previously worked in Oregon covering cops and courts and in eastern Idaho as a general assignment reporter and editor. Outside of journalism, Aubrey enjoys skiing, fly fishing, craft beer and NBA basketball.