SALT LAKE CITY — Two deputies were shot in the face outside a Salt Lake City jail on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.
Updated 2:15 p.m. EDT April 11: The two deputies shot in the face were identified as Joshua Buerke Lelane Grossett.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that Buerke was shot in the cheek and released from the hospital on Saturday, KSTU reported. Grossett was shot in the eye and underwent surgery on Saturday. He lost his eye and is in stable condition.
The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Joshua Michael Johnson. The reason for the shooting is still unclear.
Here is an update from Sheriff Rivera concerning the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies. pic.twitter.com/IXxP4HSlWc
— Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office (@SLCOMetroJail) April 11, 2021
Original report: One deputy is in critical but stable condition after being shot in the eye and the other is in stable condition after suffering a facial wound, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. The suspected gunman was killed, according to KSTU.
The shooting occurred outside the Salt Lake County Metro Jail, the television station reported. The shooter’s identity has not been released.
UPDATE: @SLCOMetroJail Sheriff Rivera says the two deputies were performing campus patrol when they came across a man on a grassy area next to @UPDSL. Gunfire exchanged (events transpired are unclear/being investigated). Suspect (who was armed, had his own firearm) is deceased. pic.twitter.com/xqnp5D3CmP
— 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞 (@brian_schnee) April 10, 2021
The deputies were patrolling the campus of the jail when they encountered the gunman in a grassy area near the sheriff’s office parking lot, KUTV reported.
Police said they do not know what led to shots being fired or a possible motive for the suspect, the television station reported.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said the two officers were part of the campus security team, but did not release any other information, KSTU reported.
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