Deadly escape — Utah rampage includes shooting, carjacking, police chase

Salt Lake City police developed information that Allgier might be headed toward the area of 900 West and 400 South where an acquaintance lived, Salt Lake City Assistant Police Chief Scott Atkinson said.

Trisha Tower told KSL Radio she received a phone call from Allgier as he was headed toward her home.

"He just said that he killed a cop and he was sorry and he loved me, they would probably kill him and he said bye," she said, sobbing.

As they saw him approaching, officers scrambled to get into position. Two police cars collided while trying to block a road, Atkinson said. Two other vehicles, including one belonging to a passerby, also suffered minor damage. No one was seriously hurt.

From there, Allgier led dozens of police officers on a chase that lasted nearly 40 minutes at speeds more than 100 miles per hour. The SUV was seen weaving in and out of cars in morning rush-hour traffic, a trail of police cars behind it.

The chase stretched from I-80 to southbound I-15, then onto westbound I-215 where the SUV's tires were spiked. Police said Allgier didn't stop, driving onto eastbound SR-201, before turning onto Redwood Road.

Mark Setterman was waiting at the intersection of 1700 South and Redwood Road, where he saw the SUV coming up behind him.

"I seen that blue car come by right up on the sidewalk right by me," he said. "Then I seen 50 to 60 cop cars right behind him."

Black tire tread across the curb and sidewalk shows the car turned onto 1700 South, then abruptly cut across into the parking lot of an Arby's restaurant.

"He had no control over the driving," Malanka Bytygi said, recounting the chase in broken English.

The SUV's right rear tire was shredded. When the vehicle stopped in the drive-thru, Allgier ran inside the restaurant.

Confrontation

Rod Park and Jeff Mousley were eating breakfast in Arby's. Allgier fired a shot and ran behind the counter where he held a gun to an employee's head.

"He yelled at us to get on the ground," Park said.

Approximately 10 customers and employees were inside the restaurant. One employee jumped through the drive-thru window and ran for safety. Three other customers ran from the building when police pulled up.

Shirley Smith was leaving the restaurant through the south door with her husband and teenage son when the gunman entered through the north door. She heard "a popping noise inside," and then saw a large number of police officers come up behind her.

"They told us to 'Get down! Get down!"' she said.

Smith said she and her family hit the pavement while officers, with guns drawn, converged on the door. Investigators are still trying to piece together what happened inside the restaurant.

"I hear a shot," said Sophia Wasseh, who was waiting for a bus outside Arby's.