Police arrested a suspect after a standoff in Magna on Tuesday morning that began the previous night when the man reportedly fired a gun after a traffic stop in Salt Lake City.
“Our SWAT team did negotiate,” said Det. Michael Ruff of the Salt lake City Police Department. "Eventually, we had the opportunity to take him into custody by using a diversionary device."
Officers set off the device, which “sounds like an explosion," to distract the man, who was taken into custody without any injuries to him or police. The man’s name was not released.
Fox13 reports that officers from the Utah Highway Patrol, Unified Police, and police from Salt Lake City, West Valley and Sandy were involved in the standoff, in the area of 7200 West and 3000 South in Magna. Traffic was diverted from the area, and residents were told to lock their doors and shelter in place.
A SWAT team moved into the area at 6:30 a.m.
In a briefing to media, Ruff, the SLCPD public information officer, said an officer had the suspect pull over at a traffic stop at about 11 p.m. Monday. The stop was on the northbound side of I-215, just south of the I-80 interchange.
As the officer approached the car, he saw a weapon in the vehicle, Ruff said. The suspect then drove away.
“At some point while he was fleeing, shots were fired by the subject in the vehicle,” Ruff said. “No shots were fired by officers.”
There are no reports that anything or anyone was hit by gunfire, Ruff said. “We don’t know what the driver was shooting at,” he said.
Police investigated through the night, Ruff said, and were led to the Magna neighborhood. At 7:15 a.m., Ruff said, the suspect was contained, and was treated as if he was armed.
The Salt Lake Tribune will update as events unfold.
Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune and Fox13 are partners in a content-sharing agreement.