Basketball game argument leads to stabbing at West Jordan gym, police say

A man was arrested in West Jordan Friday after police say he got into an argument during a basketball game, then pulled out a knife and stabbed two people.

A man was arrested in West Jordan Friday after police say he got into an argument during a basketball game, then pulled out a knife and stabbed two people. (TheCorgi, Shutterstock)


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WEST JORDAN — A Utah man was arrested Friday after police say he got into an argument while playing basketball and ended up stabbing two people, including one who was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Kirby Zou, 30, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of two counts of aggravated assault and three counts of assault.

Zou was playing basketball at Vasa Fitness, 7836 S. Redwood, when he and another man got into a fight about the game.

While they were arguing, Zou threw a basketball at the victim's head, according to a police booking affidavit. The two were separated and the victim was talking to others at the gym about the incident when Zou allegedly came up from behind them and tried to punch the victim.

"The suspect missed the victim and hit the witness in the right eye. The suspect and the victim were separated again, but the suspect then grabbed another basketball and threw it at the first victim's head again," the affidavit states.

Gym members said they separated the two multiple times before Zou grabbed a folding pocket knife from his gym bag and stabbed the victim in the arm, according to the affidavit. He was hospitalized with "serious" injuries, police said.

"Witnesses stated it seemed like the suspect also attempted to stab the victim in the face during the altercation. The witnesses attempted to separate the suspect and the victim again. While witnesses were separating them, the suspect cut another victim" on the finger, the arrest report states.

"When I was speaking with the suspect, the suspect stated he stabbed the victim in self-defense," the investigating officer wrote.

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Brian West is News Director at KSL.com, managing the daily coverage of news. He has had an extensive career in media, working in radio, newspaper, TV and internet publications.

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