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SALT LAKE CITY — Police were looking Wednesday for two men believed to be involved in a violent crime spree in which victims were injured at random.
In a 30 minute time span, Salt Lake police say two men attacked three people in separate incidents, sending all of them to the hospital. In one incident, the men actually jumped on top of a car and shattered the windshield.
The wild incident began about 12:40 a.m. when two men — both between 18 and 22 years old with short dark hair, one wearing a red T-shirt, red ball cap and blue jeans, and the other a dark shirt and a black ball cap — approached a man on the sidewalk near 200 South and 525 West.
One of the men asked the victim what he was looking for and then punched him, said Salt Lake police detective Veronica Montoya.
The victim was knocked to the ground, according to Salt Lake Police Lt. Dave Cracroft. The two attackers ran off. The victim suffered a deep cut to his nose and was treated at a local hospital. Because of the type of injury he suffered, detectives believe the suspect may have had an object in his hand when he hit the victim, Montoya said.
About 10 minutes later, a motorist was driving near 600 West and 75 North when two people ran up to his vehicle and jumped on it, shattering the windshield, Montoya said. The attackers are believed to be the same two men from the incident.
The men tried to pull the 22-year-old driver out of his car. One of the attackers pulled out a knife and demanded money, Montoya said. The other man held what the victim believed was a stick. The victim's face and left ear were cut. He was treated at a local hospital.
About 15 minutes after that incident, detectives believe the duo randomly attacked a homeless man, 39, walking near 500 West and 200 South. Police say the man never even saw his attackers.
"Two males knocked him down, ended up slicing him in a couple of places, and ended up with a good cut on his left arm," said Cracroft.
After the attack, the man continued walking until he ran into a friend who saw that his injuries were serious and called 911, Montoya said. Police believe the homeless man was the most severely injured of the three. He suffered two deep cuts to his arm and was taken to a local hospital.
Anyone with information about the attacks is asked to call Salt Lake police at 801-799-3000. Anonymous tips can be texted to 274637 using the keyword TIPSLCPD.
Contributing: Pat Reavy
