Topline
A pair of Salt Lake County sheriff’s deputies were shot in the face Saturday morning, in an altercation outside the sheriff’s office that ended with the suspect’s death.
Police lights.
Key Facts
The two deputies were shot while patrolling the perimeter of the sheriff’s office campus, which includes a county jail, Sheriff Rosie Rivera told reporters.
Rivera said the suspect used his own firearm: “He did shoot at our deputies, and our deputies shot back.”
Both deputies remain hospitalized: One is in critical condition after getting shot in the eye, and the other is in serious but stable condition after a shot to the cheek.
Rivera said the suspect — whose identity has not been confirmed by investigators yet — is deceased, but she did not elaborate on how he died.
Tangent
The deputy who was shot in the cheek is slated to be released from the hospital later Saturday, according to Rivera. The other deputy will enter surgery, but Rivera said he’s expected to survive.
Key Background
The Salt Lake County sheriff’s office operates a local jail, but most normal law enforcement duties in Salt Lake City are handled by municipal police. As a result, deputies are rarely shot in the line of duty, making Saturday’s incident unusual, Rivera said.
Crucial Quote
“It’s something that you don’t really expect would occur on a Saturday morning,” Rivera told reporters. “This is just shocking.”
