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Ashley Hayes ReportingWhat started out as a verbal confrontation quickly turned into a gunfight behind the Denny's restaurant in downtown Salt Lake. Now police are looking for the gunmen.
The Denny's restaurant is located at 207 W. 500 South.
Police don't know of anyone who was hurt in the shooting. Officers and a manager at the restaurant speculate that cars in the parking lot blocked the bullets from flying into the restaurant.
Police believe the shooting is gang related. They say a fight broke out and shots were fired. They found casings from 12 gauge shotguns and 9 millimeter guns. Investigators say the shooters ran out of the parking lot.
Two vehicles in the parking lot were hit. A bullet shattered the window of a rental van. Another bullet hit near the trunk of a car owned by a Denny's employee.
This morning police and restaurant employees are saying this could have ended really badly.
Kent Nye, Denny's Manager: "I just think, oh my gosh, what if that car wasn't there? What could have happened after that."
Sgt. Jeff Kendrick/ Salt Lake City Police Dept.: "We don't like to see gunfire in Salt Lake City. We have Denny's, which is in close proximity to where the shooting took place. We also have the hotel here that is close to the Denny's, where people are obviously staying overnight. They were definitely placed at risk."
Both Denny's and the Crystal Inn have surveillance cameras. Police will be looking at video from those.
Investigators need witnesses to the crime. If you saw anything related to this shooting, please call police. They also are looking for a couple of cars that were in the parking lot, that left after the shootings.
