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MIDVALE — A known gang member wanted in connection with a drive-by shooting earlier this week was arrested Wednesday night.
Duane McArthur, 22, was arrested for investigation of numerous charges, including three counts of attempted homicide and nine counts of discharging a firearm.
About 2 a.m. Wednesday, three people were dropped off at St. Mark's Hospital with gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening, said Sgt. Lex Bell with the Metro Gang Unit. Investigators also found a vehicle in the parking lot with nine bullet holes.
The victims were allegedly shot by rival gang members, partly because of an argument over a woman, police said.
Bell recognized the found vehicle and began looking for suspects in the Midvale area. Members of the Metro Gang Unit held surveillance on a home near 7900 South and 455 West.
When they spotted McArthur and two others, they made their move.
The two other suspects were arrested without incident. But McArthur tried to run away and ended up running into the house and locking the door behind him, Bell said.
"So I just kicked the door," he said. "I kicked the door open, and he ran down a hallway."
He came running in the room, with me on his tail, and he jumped on the bed and pointed his gun back at the doorway. That could have been a lot worse than it was.
–Sgt. Lex Bell, Metro Gang Unit.
McArthur then ran into a bedroom, Bell said. Because he lost sight of the man, Bell did not follow McArthur into the bedroom for fear of being ambushed. He would later find out it was a good call.
"He came running in the room, with me on his tail, and he jumped on the bed and pointed his gun back at the doorway," Bell said. "That could have been a lot worse than it was."
The gun was later found laying on the pillow.
A police K-9 was called to help take McArthur into custody. Bell said McArthur was very aggressive and belligerent with officers and heavily resisted arrest. The K-9 bit McArthur twice on the arm and once on the leg before he obeyed the officers' commands to surrender.
In addition to the drive-by shooting, McArthur is a suspect in a recent incident with the Utah Highway Patrol, Bell said. Troopers were chasing a vehicle when the suspects threw three guns out the window, he said.
McArthur was previously convicted of third-degree felony rioting in 2011.
Two other suspected gang members were also taken into custody. One of them is the son of a man convicted of manslaughter in 2008.
This week's shootings could be the start of a bad summer for gang violence, Bell said. The feuding between the rival gangs has picked up in recent months, and the gang unit was bracing for what could be an increase in violent activity because of retaliation.
