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SALT LAKE CITY — A heavily intoxicated man with a gun was found by Salt Lake City police over the weekend in an area that's receiving extra attention due to recent shootings.
The 22-year-old man was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail early Sunday for investigation of carrying a weapon while under the influence of alcohol and intoxication.
About 1:50 a.m., members of the police department's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team spotted a vehicle in the parking lot at 60 W. Market Street with the passenger door open. A man "was slouched over in the front passenger seat" and there was vomit in front of the door, according to a police booking affidavit.
"(He) had an extended pistol magazine in the cup holder that is on the center console and also had a Glock pistol on the floorboard next to his feet," the officers noted as they looked into the vehicle.
The man was told multiple times to get out of the car and eventually had to be "forced" out, according to police.
Police learned that the man had been drinking at a friend's house earlier in the evening and they then decided to go to a club. However, he was too drunk to enter so he stayed in the car, the affidavit states.
"(He) was clearly unable to take care of himself due to his high level of intoxication," police noted in their affidavit.
The man's blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.178%, the affidavit states. One of his friends told police that he had a gun on him "for protection while at the club," the affidavit states.
Earlier this month, Salt Lake police announced they would be conducting enhanced patrols in the popular Market Street area due to several recent shootings that resulted in one man being killed and another injured.
In a separate incident this weekend, at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, more than a dozen officers responded to the parking structure at 55 E. Exchange Place on a report of multiple fights happening on different floors. Police described the fighting parties as being "extremely intoxicated," but no arrests were made after the confrontations were broken up.
Police say the enhanced patrols will continue through the summer.
