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Sandra Yi reportingA 7-year-old boy was nearly hit by a bullet in an apparent case of road rage. Police are still looking for the shooter.
Police don't know if this was a random crime or a case of mistaken identity. Whatever the reason, luck may have saved the life of a man and his 7-year-old son.
"Sadly, there are just too many incidents like this throughout the U.S. and in Utah," said Capt. Tom McLachlan, spokesman for the West Valley City Police Department.
But police say they don't often end as well as this one did. "I can't say how many of these I've seen, gunshots through the door where the round does not get deflected," McLachlan said.
In this case, the bullet deflected off the victim's door, barely missing a 7-year-old boy sitting in the backseat next to his 3-year-old sibling. His father was lucky too.
"The bullet was deflected into the back of the driver's seat, striking the driver in the back. But by that time, it had lost most of its energy and didn't penetrate the driver, and left a red mark," McLachlan explained.
The man was driving east on 3500 South yesterday. He told police a maroon car was driving erratically when it pulled up alongside him. "He says he didn't provoke the car or provoke the occupants in the car," McLachlan said.
The driver leaned over his passenger and fired a shot through the window before speeding away. The 7-year-old boy had a cut from debris and was treated at Pioneer Valley Hospital.
"If this individual is that willing to use violence that readily, we want to get that individual off the street," McLachlan said.
Police caution all motorists to never provoke other drivers. "You don't know who's in the other car. You don't know their mental capabilities or their mental state," McLachlan said.
The shooting happened around 6:30 yesterday evening. It was still light out, and it was on a busy street, but police say there doesn't appear to be any witnesses.
The shooter had a woman and two other men in his car.
E-mail: syi@ksl.com
