13 juveniles accused of using skateboards to assault man at The Gateway in November

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake police have arrested 13 juveniles accused of assaulting a man at The Gateway shopping center in November.

Salt Lake City Police Department's robbery and violent crime squad identified and arrested 13 minors for investigation of riot and aggravated assault charges; five of the 13 minors are accused of felony levels of riot and aggravated assault.

Police began an investigation on Nov. 25 after officers responded to a report of a fight at The Gateway, officials said in a news release Friday. Police learned then that an employee had asked several people on skateboards to leave the area in front of a business.

The group of approximately 17 people turned on the employee, knocked him to the ground and proceeded to attack him through punches, kicks, stomps and the use of their skateboards to further injure the employee, police said.

The attackers were not located by patrol officers as they ran away before officers arrived on scene, police said. Detectives from the robbery and violent crime squad took on the case and used surveillance video to try to locate those in the assault.

The detectives then worked with Salt Lake police's public relations unit to do a strategic release of information. Tips and information were submitted to police which led to the detectives identifying 13 of the 17 suspects in the case, police said.

Related topics