A deadly shooting that happened in downtown Salt Lake City early on Sunday became a “very emotionally charged situation” when a large crowd gathered at the scene, said Salt Lake police Chief Mike Brown in a news release.
The investigation started at 4:04 a.m. on Sunday when emergency dispatchers received multiple emergency calls about a shooting at 60 W. Market St.
The callers reported that people at the scene were performing CPR on a man who had been shot, the release said, and that the suspected shooter had left in a car.
An SLCPD officer arrived within a minute of the 911 call and found the man on the ground in a parking lot, according to the release.
When additional officers arrived, they provided life-saving efforts, as did personnel from Salt Lake City Fire and Gold Cross paramedics, but the man died at the scene, the release said.
Additional officers arrived at the scene to help control the crowd, but at least one person went over the crime scene tape “after being told not to and to leave the area,” the release said. Police arrested that person for interfering.
A fight also broke out at the scene, and officers arrested another person for assault.
“Our officers face significant dangers and challenges when they deal with a crowd that becomes upset,” said SLCPD police Chief Mike Brown in a statement.
“They are trained to safely manage tense situations and restore order in the most challenging of circumstances, and that’s what happened this morning, and I would like to thank our officers for their professionalism and compassion,” Brown continued.
Officers haven’t released the deceased man’s identity, pending notification of family members.
This is the 10th homicide in Salt Lake City so far in 2023, according to the release.
Rounds fly over officers’ heads
Another shooting that happened over the weekend at the same address is being investigated after it prompted a city-wide search for the shooter, a release said.
The investigation started early Saturday, when Central Bike Squad officers who were patrolling a parking lot at 60 W. Market St. heard a volley of gunshots.
Several of the rounds flew over the officers’ heads, the release stated, and one hit a sign above the officers.
Police found a suspect and tried to arrest that person, but he ran from officers near the Wells Fargo building, the release said. The 19-year-old man was eventually arrested and accused of fleeing from officers, providing false identification, and public intoxication. He was booked into Salt Lake County jail.
After securing the suspect, officers and detectives searched the area for any gunshot victims but didn’t find any.
There is no evidence to suggest that either shooting had any connection to weekend Pride events, police said.
SLCPD said it will continue to have extra patrols in the downtown area over the coming weekends “to help ensure community safety,” the release said.
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