Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PAYSON — A dispute between two men led to a shootout in the streets of Payson Monday night, police said.
Officers responded to a call of a shooting in progress near 646 West and 500 South around 10:30 p.m., according to Payson Police Chief Brad Bishop.
Police found two men who had been shooting at each other in the middle of the street. The men exchanged about 18 gunshots over a two-block area, Bishop said.
Bishop said it appears Travis Frkovich, 38, of Payson, got into an altercation with another man on a street less than an hour before the shooting. Frkovich confronted the other man with a firearm before a struggle ensued over the gun.
"Several rounds were fired off during the struggle," he said. "Frkovich retreated and the victim retrieved his firearm and they exchanged gunshots there in the street."
Both men received serious but non-life threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital. Frkovich suffered more serious injuries than the other man, who was not identified, Bishop said.
The wife of one of the first man shot received minor injuries. Both the man and the woman, who were also from Payson, were released from a hospital within hours of the shooting, Bishop said.
Frkovich was expected to be booked into Utah County Jail in relation with the shooting after he was released from the hospital. Authorities believe the other man was acting in self-defense, Bishop said.
Court records show Frkovich has a lengthy criminal history in Utah.
Police were trying to determine a motive for the shooting Tuesday. Bishop said it appears the two men didn't know each other prior to the first altercation.
"We suspect there's more to it but we don't have any evidence of that now," he added. "We don't know why they began arguing."
The incident took place in a crowded neighborhood and could have resulted in more injuries, Bishop said.
"The houses are spread out, but we do have a lot of people here. We have a school here, a church here. They weren't in session at the time, but the houses are close enough we were fortunate no one else was hit," he said.
Police interviewed some eyewitnesses but are asking anyone who saw the incident or who has surveillance video to contact them.
Contributing: Dave Cawley
