- An off-duty trooper shot a suspected gunman at a Taylorsville liquor store Thursday.
- The man had previously shot another person, police say. Both are now stable in a hospital.
- Investigators say the trooper's actions prevented additional injuries.
TAYLORSVILLE — An off-duty Utah Highway Patrol trooper shot and injured a man at a liquor store Thursday after investigators say that man shot and injured another person.
Police received a call of an active shooter at the Utah State Liquor and Wine Store, 4455 S. 2700 West in Taylorsville, reporting that at least one person had been shot.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a suspected gunman had been shot by a trooper who wasn't part of the response, but happened to be in the store at the time, said Taylorsville Police Lt. Aaron Cheshire.
"During the incident, a suspect discharged a firearm and injured one individual. The trooper returned fire, securing the scene and preventing further injuries," the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement. "We are grateful for the trooper's swift actions."
The initial shooting victim and the suspected gunman were taken to a hospital and both were stable, according to Cheshire.
No employees of the liquor store nor any customers were harmed during the shooting.
A witness who was inside the business said he heard multiple gunshots fired outside before seeing a man enter the store and he made eye contact with him.
Rohit Khanna told KSL that it didn't appear that the gunman had a specific target, but he came into the store waving a gun around.
"But that's when fight or flight kind of kicked in and I just bolted to the back," he said.
Khanna also described hearing more shots being fired inside the store.
Police aren't sure if there was any relationship between the suspected gunman and the victim, and there were no early indications of a motive for the shooting.
The liquor store will be closed until at least March 9 for cleanup and repairs, but Michelle Schmitt of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage said the closure could persist longer as there is no confirmed reopening date yet.
"Employees are currently on administrative leave. DABS understands this was a traumatic event, and want to give staff time and space to recover," she said in a statement. "All employees have access to resources and support services."
The police shooting will be investigated by a Salt Lake County officer-involved critical incident protocol team.
Contributing: Logan Stefanich
