SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 7, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown on Tuesday spoke about the police response the westside scene of a fatal shooting on Monday evening.
“Our officers rushed into danger, finding themselves in a chaotic scene,” Brown said. “They performed heroically, and as our community would expect. I am proud of our officers. What happened last night is something that we trained for, but something we hope never happens.”
The shootings
Police responded after being dispatched at 7:08 p.m. on reports of a shooting at 1636 W. Briar Rose Place, a statement released by the department says. One man who suffered gunshot wounds died at the scene despite efforts to save him. Police are not releasing the victim’s age or identity pending family notification.
Several other people, who are believed to have been in the apartment when the fight broke out, fled the scene.
According to newly released information, the two men who were shot and made it to a local hospital are 18 and 19. The third man, injured when he was hit by a gun rather than a bullet, is 21. The 19- and 21-year-old men have since been released from the hospital, the new statement says.
Officers located a car at 1150 S. Redwood Road, and believe the vehicle had had two injured people inside. Officers believe someone in the car waved down another driver on Redwood Road and asked for a ride to the hospital.
Officers located a second car at 60 S. Redwood Road. That car had one injured person inside. Police performed life-saving efforts on that person. Paramedics transported that person to the hospital, the SLCPD statement says.
Investigators still believe the crime involved people known to each other.
“The Salt Lake City Police Department can confirm the motive in this case is being investigated as an attempted robbery,” the statement says.
No arrests had been made as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call 801-799-3000 and reference case number 22-106677.
Brown’s message
At his Tuesday news conference, Brown said violent crimes affect the community.
“I am devastated for the families who were sitting down for dinner when the sounds of gunfire erupted. I can’t imagine what it was like for parents at that apartment complex, who had children outside playing in the courtyard when bullets began to fly,” Brown said.
“Our community is resilient. But for the sake of our children, our families and those who visit our city, I hope we never have to see yellow tape stretched across a neighborhood again because there’s been an act of gun violence.”
Brown said gun violence is epidemic in the United States.
“Unfortunately, it is not new. I was with Tulsa’s police chief last week at a National Law Enforcement conference about gun violence when he had to leave for his city after a mass shooting.”
Brown said that in Salt Lake this year, “There have been about 30 robberies which a firearm was used. There have been nearly 60 aggravated assaults with a firearm and there have been more than 28 drive by shootings in our city since January 1.”
Salt Lake City police are doing what they can to reduce gun violence, Brown said, mentioning a recent arrest of someone armed with an illegal gun who was apprehended by bike squad officers. Brown asked any community member who has knowledge of an illegal firearm to alert police.
Gun buyback
Brown also noted Salt Lake City’s gun buyback event, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Salt Lake Public Safety Building, at 475 S. 300 East. The program will award the first 200 people $50 gift cards for returning firearms, and $100 gift cards for returning assault rifles.
“I hope I hope our community will consider taking us up on this offer,” Brown said of the gun buyback. “We have said it over and over. Enough is enough. Stop with the gun violence. Let’s come together and do everything everything we can to keep our community safe.”
Brown said he believes raising the minimum age for gun and ammo purchase “could be very responsible, a very responsible act to do in our community.”
Brown said he anticipates putting more officers on the street, and already has increased patrols in “hot blocks within our community through the community,” but “the number one thing we can do is partner with our community to prevent these type of gun violence situations and to work on reducing all crimes.”
