West Valley City police are searching for three men who carjacked a vehicle with a 16-year-old boy inside, a crime that authorities believe was not random.
Shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday near 1300 West and 3600 South, the men — at least one of whom had a gun — broke out the window of a car and dragged the female driver out, according to police. The men jumped in the car and drove off with the woman’s 16-year-old nephew still inside.
According to a spokeswoman for the WVCPD, the men apparently knew the teenager and called him by name.
Police located the car about an hour later near 1300 West and 5000 South, but as they approached the vehicle it drove off. At some point, the 16-year-old boy was either thrown out of the car or jumped; police estimated the car was traveling 25-30 mph at the time.
He suffered minor injuries, as did his aunt. They were treated at a hospital and released.
The fleeing car ran over spike strips police had laid, and crashed a short time later. The men ran off before they could be apprehended. Police tried to surround the area, and deployed a helicopter and K-9 units, but were unable to locate any of the carjackers.
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