Shooting at Salt Lake City Pioneer Park

Editor’s Note: Police have released the body camera footage and 911 call recordings. You can view those here.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – New details have been released following a deadly officer-involved shooting in Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park.

At around 8:40 a.m., emergency crews were called to Pioneer Park for a reported stabbing.

Fire crews were first on scene and began rendering aid to an unidentified woman. Chief Mike Brown says bystanders, including construction workers, quickly began rendering aid to the woman, who sustained injuries to her arm and abdomen. According to Brown, if it had not been for those bystanders, the woman may not still be alive.

She is in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.

While emergency crews were rendering aid to the woman, Chief Brown says a man began to approach the scene with a knife. Salt Lake City Police officers told the man to drop the knife, but he did not.

As the man continued to approach the scene, Chief Brown says two officers fired their weapons. The first responders, who had just loaded the woman into an ambulance, rushed to aid the man, but were unsuccessful.

“Today, our officers put themselves between an armed suspect, a serious injured citizen, and the first responders who were trying to give her aid,” Chief Brown says. “The officers placed themselves in an extremely dangerous situation where they were forced to make a split-second decision. They made a decision to protect the community, our brothers and sisters of the Salt Lake City Fire Department, and themselves. I truly believe that the actions taken today by our officers saved lives.”

Because this is an officer-involved incident, West Valley City Police are now investigating, meaning Chief Brown was unable to confirm whether the man stabbed the woman.

Mayor Erin Mendenhall says she believes the decision officers made in shooting the man was “the choice they had to make,” echoing Chief Brown’s statement.

“Ultimately, after reviewing the footage myself of the incident, I believe this was a choice they had to make in order to ensure the safety of the victim, of our firefighters who were rendering aid, to the bystanders, and to themselves,” Mayor Mendenhall continues. “What I saw was an example of excellent policing under threatening and terrible circumstances.”

Man dead after officer-involved shooting at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park

THURSDAY 6/10/2021 11:12 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – A man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Salt Lake City Thursday morning.

Emergency crews were called to Pioneer Park in downtown Salt Lake City at around 9 a.m. for a stabbing.

Fire crews were the first to arrive on scene. Police tell ABC4 that while fire crews were treating a woman with stab wounds, an “aggressive” man confronted emergency crews.

After an altercation, authorities say police ended up fatally shooting the unidentified man.

The woman was transported to an area hospital and is now listed as being in critical condition.

One man who lives across the street from the park spoke with ABC4’s Jerad Giottonini about the incident.

“The tragedy does not make me feel unsafe in this neighborhood,” Devin Vernick says. “This is a great neighborhood, this is a neighborhood where all people should feel welcome and continue to feel welcome.”

While a knife was found on scene, police say it is unclear if the man stabbed the woman, or if they knew each other.

West Valley City Police are now investigating the incident, per protocol, and the officer involved is on administrative leave.

Police say 400 West is blocked off until further notice, which could case delays for the Utah Jazz game at Vivint Arena tonight.

ORIGINAL STORY: One person dead, officer-involved incident reported at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park

THURSDAY 6/10/2021 9:06 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – One person is dead after an officer-involved incident at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park.

Police were initially called to the park for a reported stabbing Thursday morning at around 8 a.m.

While the details are unclear, Salt Lake City Police have confirmed officers did discharge their firearms at one point. It is currently unclear if any of those bullets struck the unidentified victim.

Crews have blocked off the area around the park. In this photo, below, from the scene, you can see fire trucks and other emergency personnel are on scene.