A Salt Lake City police officer shot a boy Friday night while responding to a call reporting he was having a “psychological episode.”
The injured youth was taken to a local hospital in “serious condition,” according to Sgt. Keith Horrocks.
Police were dispatched shortly after 10 p.m. to 500 South and Navajo Street for a call about a youth who was having a “mental episode ... and had made threats to some folks with a weapon,” Horrocks said.
The boy left the scene on foot, and police followed. During the pursuit, one officer fired his weapon, hitting the boy, Horrocks said. Officers provided aid until medics arrived.
As of Friday night, there was “no indication” that the boy had a weapon, but that was still under investigation, Horrocks said.
An outside “officer-involved critical incident protocol team” is investigating the shooting. Horrocks said he expected more information will be available in 10 business days when any body camera footage is released, as per a Salt Lake City ordinance.
Anyone with information is asked to call 801-799-3000.
With this shooting, Utah police have shot 18 people this year, 11 fatally. In 2019, police shot 15 people, killing 12.
