Shots were reported in downtown Salt Lake City; Police close the roads after the pursuit of South Salt Lake

A man suspected of having participated in several armed robberies died after leading the police in a car chase that ended in an accident and a hail of gunfire.

The first flight was reported at 10:06 am in Taylorsville, said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. About half an hour later, at 10:37 am, gunfire was reported in a robbery committed at 7-Eleven near 900 East and 3300 South at Millcreek, Rivera said.

Shots were fired at 10:42 near West Temple and 500 South, where police began chasing a white van on the run, said police chief Mike Brown of Salt Lake City.

Brown and Rivera said the driver was suspected of having participated in the three robberies, without anyone knowing exactly how he had traveled more than 5 km through busy city streets in 5 minutes.

From downtown Salt Lake City, officers chased the truck south of State Street. Witness Mary Kime stated that she was driving near 700 South Street and State Street when she heard gunshots and saw the white truck go through a red light, followed by "like 20 police cars" . Said Kime.

When the truck driver fled south on State Street, he leaned out of the window and fired a rifle at the police.

"It reminded me of my return home to California," said Phillip Wesley, formerly of Sacramento, who saw the driver shoot. "Over there [shooting out the car window] Is normal."

The officers discussed the possibility of ending the pursuit but decided that the driver was putting too much danger to the public to allow him to escape, Brown said.

After the truck crashed at a repair shop near 3300 South and State Street, witnesses reported that several officers had brandished firearms and opened fire.

Amad Bilal was near the intersection when he said he heard about 40 shots. Another witness said that he thought that nearly 300 shots had been fired. Scotty Newman was at Beans & Brews, nearby, when he saw police cars rolling one after the other on State Street.

"I thought it was a parade of cops for some reason," said Newman. "That's when I heard all the filming. A group of policemen were running in State Street, all their weapons unsheathed, shooting at this truck that has now broken down. It's the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. "

The truck driver died after the chase, but Rivera did not confirm his death. A person's body could be seen under the truck shortly after the accident.

An officer of the UPD was also slightly injured by a ricochet, Rivera said.

The intersection of 3300 South and State Street is closed to north-south traffic, but east-west traffic was allowed to cross at noon.

The Salt Lake Tribune will communicate more details as soon as they are available.