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A fight in the parking lot at a West Valley shopping center took a potentially deadly turn when a 15-year-old was shot three times after pulling out a machete.
The teenager is in critical condition. Tonight, police say they have identified a person of interest but don't yet have him in custody.
Police believe the gunman fired five shots; three hit the teenager. The other two hit the windows at the Panda Express at 4643 S. 4000 West, where the fight took place.
It all started as a verbal argument between two teens walking in the parking lot and a car driving in. No one is sure right now what they were fighting about, but witnesses say it quickly escalated.
Lt. Dalin Taylor, with the West Valley City Police Department, said, "The victim actually got into a fistfight with one of the occupants of the vehicle. He was taking the better of the fight, the better of the beating, so he ended up pulling out a machete."
That's when the other man pulled out a .45-caliber handgun and started shooting. The 15-year-old victim, who had pulled out the machete, was hit three times in the arm, hand and leg. The suspect fled.
We talked to employees at the restaurant who said they were terrified by the shots. They say some customers ran to the other side of the dining area to get out of danger. However, about two hours after the bullets hit, the business was back open and pretty crowded.
Police are looking for a person of interest tonight. Right now they don't believe the shooter and victim knew each other, and they are investigating it as possibly gang related.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
