SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah, March 27, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah Highway Patrol trooper fatally shot a suspect Friday evening after a crash and confrontation on Interstate 15.
The incident began just before 5 p.m. when a trooper traveling northbound on I-15 was rear-ended by a reckless driver, according to Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason. The driver then continued past the trooper, who activated emergency lights and attempted a traffic stop.
The suspect did not stop until near 3300 South, where the vehicle came to a halt in the middle of the freeway, Mason said. Both the trooper and the suspect exited their vehicles.
“At some point during that interaction, the suspect produced a knife, and our trooper discharged his firearm,” Mason said.
Additional troopers arrived shortly afterward and, along with medical personnel, rendered aid to the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
Photo: Gephardt Daily/Jayden I.
The trooper was not injured. No other occupants were in the suspect’s vehicle, and no additional suspects are outstanding.
The initial crash occurred near 4500 South or slightly north of that area, Mason said. Both vehicles sustained what appeared to be moderate damage.
The Salt Lake County Officer-Involved Critical Incident (OICI) Protocol Team 4, led by the West Jordan Police Department, is investigating. The case remains active, and no additional information is being released at this time.
The trooper will be placed on administrative leave per standard procedure during the investigation, according to Mason.
Authorities have not released the identity of the suspect. Mason said that information will be made public at a later date.
The shooting led to a closure of the freeway as investigators processed the scene. Mason said closures could last several hours due to the complexity of the investigation.
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.
Photo: Gephardt Daily/Romy Colvin
