SALT LAKE CITY — A man who was wanted on a felony warrant for fleeing and had already sped away from law enforcers earlier in the day was arrested following an officer-involved shooting Thursday afternoon, according to the Department of Public Safety.
The man, whose name was not immediately released, was spotted in Salt Lake City Thursday in a silver Mercedes, engaged in a suspected drug deal, said Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Nick Street. When officers approached, the man sped away but officers did not pursue, he said.
“Agents were able to positively identify the suspect/driver of the Mercedes as a man with multiple warrants, at least one of which was a felony warrant for fleeing,” according to a statement from the Department of Public Safety.
About 3 p.m., officers from the State Bureau of Investigations spotted the man again in the Rose Park area and followed it, Street said. When the vehicle reached an area near 700 N. Morton Drive (1900 West) there was a confrontation and two bureau officers fired shots, he said.
The man then drove about a half block before he crashed into a FedEx truck, he said. The FedEx driver was not injured. The suspect was arrested shortly after and taken to a local hospital to be treated for undisclosed injuries. Street said it was unknown whether the man was actually shot or possibly grazed by one or more shots.
The man was treated and released from the hospital just a couple of hours later and was expected to be booked into the Salt Lake County Jail after being interviewed by investigators.
What prompted the officers to fire their weapons will be part of the officer-involved shooting investigation. The West Valley City OICI Team is handling the investigation.