During the meeting of the two parties, a handgun was produced and a scuffle ensued. Both parties sustained gunshot wounds. – Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking
SALT LAKE CITY — A man and a woman remained hospitalized in serious condition Tuesday after each was shot earlier that morning.
Steven Skinner, 32, and an escort were both reportedly shot multiple times. The 25-year-old woman's name was not released Tuesday. Salt Lake police also had not released a possible motive for the shooting as of Tuesday afternoon. Investigators noted, however, that they did not believe there were any outstanding suspects.
Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking said at some point the woman was called to Skinner's residence. He did not disclose Tuesday when she was called there.
"During the meeting of the two parties, a handgun was produced and a scuffle ensued. Both parties sustained gunshot wounds," Wilking said.
Police were still investigating Tuesday who produced the gun.
Officers responded to a "chaotic scene" at an apartment, 1856 S. 1200 East, about 4:20 a.m., said Wilking. Skinner was found shot in an upstairs apartment and the woman was outside the apartment, also with a pair of gunshot wounds.
Sharon Ewer, who lives next door, said the woman's cries for help woke her up.
"I could hear, 'Help me, help me,'" Ewer said. "She said the man was still inside, he tried to rape her and she had been shot in her hand and her leg."
Blood stains could be seen on the handrail and at the bottom of the steps the woman used to get out of the apartment. She was wearing only a towel. The man upstairs who was also shot reportedly had no clothes on, Ewer said.
Ewer's boyfriend comforted the woman until police arrived.
"He didn't leave her. She didn't want him to go, and he just didn't go anywhere," she said.
According to Ewer, each victim had two gunshot wounds.
About seven or eight people were taken to police headquarters for questioning, according to police. Search warrants were also served on the apartment where a gun was recovered, Wilking said.
Detectives still needed to interview each shooting victim to determine if their stories matched, as well as go over physical and forensic evidence to see if it collaborated either story, he said. Because Skinner was in surgery Tuesday, Wilking said it may be a day before investigators would get to interview him.
Contributing: Shara Park
Email: preavy@deseretnews.com
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