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| Utah police battle angry crowd after officer shoots male wielding broomstick | Utah police battle angry crowd after officer shoots male wielding broomstick |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A male who authorities say was wielding a broomstick was shot and critically injured by Salt Lake City officers on Saturday night, touching off hours of unrest as officers wore riot gear and bystanders threw rocks and bottles. | A male who authorities say was wielding a broomstick was shot and critically injured by Salt Lake City officers on Saturday night, touching off hours of unrest as officers wore riot gear and bystanders threw rocks and bottles. |
| The male shot by two Salt Lake City police officers was in critical condition at a local hospital on Sunday morning after being struck twice in the torso, according to detective Ken Hansen with the Unified police department, which is investigating the shooting. | The male shot by two Salt Lake City police officers was in critical condition at a local hospital on Sunday morning after being struck twice in the torso, according to detective Ken Hansen with the Unified police department, which is investigating the shooting. |
| Hansen did not have details about the male’s identity or age, but a bystander told local newspapers that the male was a teenager. | Hansen did not have details about the male’s identity or age, but a bystander told local newspapers that the male was a teenager. |
| Salt Lake City Police Detective Greg Wilking said two police officers are on administrative leave as a result of the shooting. | |
| Hansen said the shooting occurred when two officers were called around 8pm to break up a fight, near a downtown homeless shelter that stands next to a shopping mall and movie theater. | Hansen said the shooting occurred when two officers were called around 8pm to break up a fight, near a downtown homeless shelter that stands next to a shopping mall and movie theater. |
| When the officers arrived, they found the male in the street, hitting another person with the broomstick, Hansen said. Officers tried to break up the fight, but the male with the broomstick tried to attack an officer, according to the detective. | When the officers arrived, they found the male in the street, hitting another person with the broomstick, Hansen said. Officers tried to break up the fight, but the male with the broomstick tried to attack an officer, according to the detective. |
| One or both of the police officers shot the male, hitting him in the upper and lower torso, Hansen said. He did not have details about the identity of the other person involved in the fight, what prompted the dispute, or whether anyone else was injured. | One or both of the police officers shot the male, hitting him in the upper and lower torso, Hansen said. He did not have details about the identity of the other person involved in the fight, what prompted the dispute, or whether anyone else was injured. |
| “There’s still a lot to go through,” Hansen said. Police were not releasing the identity of the officers, he added. | “There’s still a lot to go through,” Hansen said. Police were not releasing the identity of the officers, he added. |
| Bystander Selam Mohammad told the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News that his teenage friend was shot by police. | Bystander Selam Mohammad told the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News that his teenage friend was shot by police. |
| Mohammad said his friend was holding the broomstick at his side when officers arrived, and that police shot him as soon as he turned around. | Mohammad said his friend was holding the broomstick at his side when officers arrived, and that police shot him as soon as he turned around. |
| Hansen did not have details on Sunday about how many shots were fired or how far away the male with the broomstick was from police when they pulled their guns. He did not know the size of the broomstick or whether it was sharpened. He also did not know whether the male had a gun, knife or any other weapon. | Hansen did not have details on Sunday about how many shots were fired or how far away the male with the broomstick was from police when they pulled their guns. He did not know the size of the broomstick or whether it was sharpened. He also did not know whether the male had a gun, knife or any other weapon. |
| After the shooting, bystanders began yelling obscenities and throwing rocks and bottles at police, who called in about 100 officers to help. | After the shooting, bystanders began yelling obscenities and throwing rocks and bottles at police, who called in about 100 officers to help. |
| Hansen said one officer was hit with a bottle, but he did not have details about whether that officer or any other was injured. He did not have details about any arrests and directed those questions to Salt Lake City police. | Hansen said one officer was hit with a bottle, but he did not have details about whether that officer or any other was injured. He did not have details about any arrests and directed those questions to Salt Lake City police. |
| Salt Lake City police did not return messages on Sunday morning. Wilking had few details about what prompted the fight or how the shooting unfolded. | |
| “Our officers arriving on scene encountered a lot of hostile people upset about what had taken place,” Wilking told the Deseret News. | “Our officers arriving on scene encountered a lot of hostile people upset about what had taken place,” Wilking told the Deseret News. |
| Police, including some wearing helmets and carrying riot shields, barricaded four surrounding city blocks. A light rail stop was closed. | Police, including some wearing helmets and carrying riot shields, barricaded four surrounding city blocks. A light rail stop was closed. |
| “We’re locking down the area, barricading off streets and having a strong officer presence in the area,” Wilking told the newspaper on Saturday night. He said some people were detained and witnesses were being interviewed at police headquarters. | “We’re locking down the area, barricading off streets and having a strong officer presence in the area,” Wilking told the newspaper on Saturday night. He said some people were detained and witnesses were being interviewed at police headquarters. |
| “There were pockets of that disturbance for hours,” Hansen said on Sunday. | “There were pockets of that disturbance for hours,” Hansen said on Sunday. |
| He said the protesters throwing rocks and bottles were people hanging out near the shelter. He didn’t know if they were homeless, but he said they were not customers of the nearby shopping center. | He said the protesters throwing rocks and bottles were people hanging out near the shelter. He didn’t know if they were homeless, but he said they were not customers of the nearby shopping center. |
| Hansen said the area was relatively busy, with people visiting the shopping center and restaurants and others hanging out near the shelter and homeless facilities. | Hansen said the area was relatively busy, with people visiting the shopping center and restaurants and others hanging out near the shelter and homeless facilities. |