West Jordan PD: Suspect faces felony charges after assaults during basketball game at fitness center

West Jordan Police. File photo: Gephardt Daily/Monico Garza/SLCScanner

WEST JORDAN, Utah, Aug. 28, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A 30-year-old man was booked into the Salt Lake County jail Friday after allegedly cutting a victim as they played basketball at a Vasa fitness center in West Jordan.

West Jordan police were summoned to the scene, where they interviewed the suspect, two victims, and witnesses.

Arrested in the case was Kirby Zou, who was charged on suspicion of:

  • Two counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony
  • Three counts of assault, a class B misdemeanor

“The suspect and the victim were playing a basketball game at Vasa gym when they got into an argument about the game,” says a probable cause statement filed by a WJPD officer.

“The suspect and the victim got into multiple altercations. Witnesses separated the suspect and the victim multiple times. After each time they separated, witnesses stated the suspect would return.

“Multiple witnesses on scene stated the suspect got a folding pocket knife from his bag and stabbed the victim. The victim sustained a laceration to his left arm. Witnesses stated it seemed like the suspect also attempted to stab the victim in the face during the altercation.”

Witnesses attempted to separate the suspect and victim again, the police statement says.

“While witnesses were separating them, the suspect cut another victim. The second victim sustained a laceration to his right pointer finger. When I was speaking with the suspect, the suspect stated he stabbed the victim in self-defense.”

The statement also says that while the suspect, later identified as Zou, and the victim were arguing about the game at some point, “witnesses stated the suspect threw a basketball at the victim’s head. The suspect and the victim were separated and the victim was talking with one of the witnesses about the incident. The suspect came from behind the witness and attempted to punch the victim. The suspect missed the victim and hit the witness in the right eye.”

The suspect and the victim were separated again, “but the suspect then grabbed another basketball and threw it at the first victim’s head again,” Zou’s probable cause statement says.

Zou was booked into jail with bail set at $1,500, charging documents say. A records check shows he is no longer at the jail.

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