SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Two people are in custody after a shooting incident while U.S. Marshals serving arrest warrants in Salt Lake City.
Shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (VFAST) was searching for two fugitives near Redwood Road and 500 S.
While attempting to execute the arrest warrants, and before entering the home, officers “took a barrage of gunfire,” according to the U.S. Marshals. Two VFAST members returned fire.
Officers then backed away from the scene and secured the perimeter.
SWAT from Unified Police was called in to assist and was able to clear the home. VFAST was able to take three suspects into custody, two of which were the targets of the investigation. The third individual was wanted on unrelated warrants.
The two authorities were searching for and apprehended were 46-year-old Anthony Lee Epifanio Welch and 48-year-old Valarie Humphrey.
Authorities say Welch was wanted on an assault and possession of a firearm charge. He has been previously convicted with 10 prior arrests, including a previous conviction for assault on a law enforcement officer. This is his third arrest by VFAST.
Humphry, a U.S. Probationer, was wanted on a federal supervised release violation for fraud. She was previously arrested by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Authorities say she has been arrested by VFAST on three previous occasions and formerly served time at the Utah State Prison.
Both have been booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.
