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SALT LAKE VALLEY -- The first day of 2010 has been busy for police agencies all over the Salt Lake Valley.
Restaurant employee injured during robbery
Draper officers are looking for four men who smashed the door of a restaurant, beat up the employee and took all the money in the register. It happened at the Gual Bertos restaurant near 400 East and 12300 South around 6 a.m.
Police say a man wanted to go through the drive-through but it was closed. He went into the restaurant and started yelling at the employee. Surveillance video shows the man knocking over the tip jar then throwing a bottle of hand sanitizer at the clerk.
The man left but returned 30 minutes later with three friends, who police say assaulted the employee. He suffered a broken wrist and head injuries.
Before the group left, one of the men grabbed the entire cash register, which contained about $100.
"They did cause a lot of damage inside the store, ripped the cash register right off the stand," said Sgt. Chad Carpenter of the Draper Police Department.
Police say witnesses were inside the restaurant during the crime. Investigators would like to hear from them.
New Year's party ends in shooting
Around 5:45 a.m., three men were shot at a New Year's party at an apartment near 800 S. 1350 West in Salt Lake City.
Police say a man arrived at the party and told his friends he'd just been involved with a fight with five men at another party. A few minutes later, two men were at the door. Someone opened fire.
One man was hit in the torso, another in the arm and another was grazed. The two most seriously injured were taken to the hospital, one in critical condition and one in serious condition.
Police have made no arrests in the case.
Sandy, West Valley police investigate stabbings
Sandy police are trying to figure out how two people got stabbed at a party. Police showed up at a house near 9000 South and 400 East after getting calls of gunfire.
Officers found shell casings and a person with a stab wound. A few houses down, they found another person.
Sgt. Lyn Steiner said, "We did find a second victim also suffering from more than a single stab wound, in a little bit more serious condition." Police have little information to go on in this case.
A New Year's Eve party also turned violent in West Valley City.
Cpt. Tom McLachlan of the West Valley City Police Department said officers were called to the 4000 South block of Birdhaven (2255 West) at 2:07 a.m.
"The party was being hosted by one group, one gang, and at least one rival showed up. That's how everything got rolling," McLachlan explained.
He said a fight between members of two rival gangs broke out, and one man was stabbed in the back. He was taken to Pioneer Valley Hospital with minor injuries.
The windows of several cars parked nearby were broken, as well.
Police are talking to witnesses. "We feel very confident we'll be able to identify the suspect or suspects in the stabbing," McLachlan said.
Story compiled with contributions from Anne Forester and The Associated Press.
