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TAYLORSVILLE — Police documents show the man taken into custody Wednesday following a chase and shooting had an AR-15-style rifle — and he may have fired it several times near a junior high school. A probable cause statement for the incident said 40-year-old Carson Thain Moffitt was taken into custody after fleeing police, then firing his rifle "sporadically" inside his Taylorsville home. The statement said police responded to multiple 911 calls of about "8-10" gunshots being heard near Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake. It was not clear what, if anything, was being shot at, but officers reportedly found "spent AR-15-style shell casings" in the street near the school. While reviewing security footage, police believed a silver Subaru WRX was seen near the school during the reported gunfire. According to the statement, a vehicle matching the description of the one seen at the school was spotted by officers on Interstate 15 going over 100 miles per hour — and it was registered to Moffitt. "(Troopers) attempted a traffic stop and the vehicle continued to flee, traveling up to 130 miles per hour before eventually exiting at Redwood Road and I-215 in Taylorsville," the statement said. Police didn't pursue, but they traced the Subaru's plate back to Moffitt's residence in Taylorsville, where they tried to contact him. "Troopers rang the doorbell and Moffitt's brother answered and attempted to find out if Moffitt was home," the statement said. "Troopers then heard screaming and shortly thereafter gunshots that appeared to come from inside the residence. Moffitt's brother advised that Moffitt had a rifle." "I noticed a trooper behind a tree with his gun drawn, so I was okay this is, this is kind of serious," Brady Nunnelley, a witness told KSL TV. The statement said Moffitt continued shooting sporadically for several minutes before eventually opening the garage door, when he tried to flee in the Subaru. "At which point he was rammed by a Taylorsville PD officer and we were able to take him out at gunpoint, and take him to custody," said Major Jeff Nigbur of the Utah Highway Patrol. A cell phone video captured the short walk and arrest of Moffitt after the long standoff. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://ksltv.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/TVille-Arrest-Logo.mp4"][/video] Moffitt's brother told police that Moffitt pointed the gun at him multiple times, and said it was a black rifle with a "drum magazine." Moffitt's car ended up smashed up on a neighbor's front lawn, and troopers found the rifle in the car, and spent shell casings on the ground. Witnesses watching Moffitt's arrest said he didn't seem all there. "When they walked him to the vehicle, the suspect that they had in handcuffs, he seemed upset. It was almost like he was intoxicated," Nunnelley said. Moffitt is accused of failing to stop for police, felony discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault with a domestic violence enhancement, reckless driving and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. Moffitt has a lengthy criminal history that designated him as a restricted person who is not permitted to own a firearm. That criminal history includes convictions for sexual exploitation of a minor and disorderly conduct. He is also a registered sex offender, according to the probable cause statement.
