Three men were arrested shortly after a Rainbo Oil clerk was stabbed at least twice during a beer theft at 874 E. 1300 South early Thursday.
Alvin Jorgensen, 48, was able to cross the street to a 7-Eleven store after being stabbed to get help. He was in surgery later Thursday morning at LDS Hospital.A dusting of new snow that fell overnight enabled officers to follow a trail of footprints directly from the convenience store to a house two blocks away where they arrested three men.
Jorgensen told police a man entered the convenience store about 4:45 a.m. and approached the counter at the same time two other men entered the store and walked directly to the beer cooler.
Jorgensen sensed trouble and picked up the telephone to call police, Tueller said. "The individual there with him pulled a hunting knife. And when the clerk didn't put the phone down, he cut the phone cord and also stabbed the clerk at least twice in the abdomen."
In the meantime, the other two men took beer from the cooler and fled. "The clerk was able to get some help at the 7-Eleven across the street. We responded, and after determining what happened, we tracked footprints back to a residence," Tueller said.
Police were interviewing the trio later Thursday morning and planned to book a 19-year-old Salt Lake man into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of charges connected to the stabbing. Police also expect charges against the other two, Tueller said.