WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, June 15, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Three male juveniles were taken into custody Sunday after police say they attempted to rob some shoppers at gunpoint at Valley Fair Mall.
The incident began at about 4:25 p.m. as an adult and two juveniles were shopping at the mall and became aware that they were being followed by the suspects, said West Valley City Police Sgt. Jason Vincent.
“As the three victims went to leave the mall, the suspects followed and accused them of stealing,” Vincent said. “They demanded that the victims turn over all their items to them.”
Vincent said one of the suspects pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victims “to show them he was serious.”
Instead of giving in to the suspects, one of the victims was able to call the police, who were already at the mall on an unrelated call.
“The officers were right there,” Vincent said. “And the suspects fled into the neighborhood.”
Police established a containment perimeter and brought in the canines. Nearby residents who were sitting out in their backyards helped by pointing out where the suspects had jumped over fences in their scramble to get away.
Two of the suspects were arrested. The third one managed to elude the officers, but not for long.
“One citizen had been sitting and watching. He told the police about a guy he was following that he saw climb up a tree,” Vincent said. “And the third suspect was taken into custody.”
Police recovered the gun, and the three suspects were booked into the detention center Sunday evening.
“It was awesome the way the people helped the police,” Vincent told Gephardt Daily. “It was super cool. We appreciate it when a community comes together to help the police and each other.”
