Suspect fatally shot in West Valley robbery


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West Valley City police shot and killed a man after he tried to rob a jewelry store and take one of the clerks hostage. It took place Tuesday evening on Redwood Road.

Police say a hostage situation like this, in a very populated area, is extremely dangerous, and they're thankful the final outcome wasn't much worse.

It was an armed robbery at the Pailin Jewelry store near 3500 South and Redwood Road. One witness described the scene, saying, "Very scary. I've never seen something like that happen before."

Suspect fatally shot in West Valley robbery

Police say several clerks were inside the store when a young man walked in with a handgun. Officers were already waiting for him as he tried to leave.

Capt. Tom McLachlan, with the West Valley City Police Department, said, "The suspect exited the store with the clerk as a hostage."

The hostage was able to break free. That's when police say the man made a threatening move toward the officer, everything happening in front of dozens of frightened people.

A witness told us, "They're screaming at him, 'Put your gun down! Put your gun down!' He raised again towards the cops, and the cops fired on him."

Police fired multiple shots. Witnesses say it was all over in just a few seconds. Pedro Santiago, who works at the El Jaripeo taco stand nearby, said, "All the other people that were here, some people ran that way, some people ran that way."

People eating at the taco stand were forced to take cover. "I was scared, man. I was trying to get away from here. But since I saw a lot of kids, I told everybody to get down," Santiago said.

Police are still investigating the exact details of how the robbery took place and what motivated officers to open fire. But in the end, McLachlan says, "The victims inside the store were not hurt, the officers were not hurt. Given the situation, it probably turned out as well as it could have."

Police have not released the suspect's identity, and it's unknown at this time if he fired any shots at the officers.

E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
E-mail: tcallan@ksl.com

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Whit Johnson and Tom Callan

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