At least one person was critically injured in a shooting during a ‘No King’ protest in Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake City police said they have taken three people into custody after the “No Kings” march downtown Saturday evening from Pioneer Park to the Wallace F. Bennett Federal building left a man critically injured with a gunshot wound. The “No Kings” protest in Utah was one of many that took place across the United States; according to preliminary estimates from the Salt Lake City Police Department, it was attended by some 10,000 people.
The incident took place @7:56 p.m, after officers heard gunshots in front of a luxury high-rise residential building on State Street – a main thoroughfare through the city leading to the Utah State Capitol in an area with local, state and federal government facilities. Police said in a news release that “officers responded to the scene and found one person with a critical gunshot wound. Those injuries are considered life-threatening.”
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that police tracked one of the involved parties and arrested him nearby, with two other people also later taken into custody. A motive has yet to be determined, and it was unclear if any of the people knew each other; however, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd told KSL.com that it appeared the people were involved “at some level” in the protest.
Local news outlet KUER reported. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall sharing in a statement that “the purpose of today’s demonstration was a powerful and peaceful expression until this event, and that cannot be overshadowed or silenced by a single act meant to harm. I want to urge everyone in the public to be calm, to give one another grace and to look out for one another tonight in the coming days.” In addition, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox posted on X: “The shooting at tonight’s protest in Salt Lake City is a deeply troubling act of violence and has no place in our public square. This is an active situation, and we’re working closely with law enforcement to ensure accountability.”
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