Teen shot in scuffle with UHP trooper

MILLCREEK — A 17-year-old boy remained in critical condition Monday after being shot with his own gun during a scuffle with a Utah Highway Patrol trooper.

Investigators still have several questions they are looking into about the incident, including whether the victim was also part of a possible abduction conflict prior to the shooting.

About 10:30 p.m. Sunday, a UHP trooper pulled over a vehicle on a routine traffic violation near 3900 S. State. There were four females and two males in the vehicle, all about 17 years old, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson.

As the trooper approached the driver's side, he could smell marijuana, Hutson said. The trooper called for backup.

The trooper opened the back door of the vehicle to let the passengers out and investigate the marijuana smell, when a 17-year-old boy holding a handgun got out and took off, he said. It was unclear Monday if the trooper spotted the gun in the boy's hand at that time.

As the trooper grabbed the boy from behind in an effort to stop him, he saw a gun come over the boy's shoulder. The gun was pointed backward at the trooper's and the boy's head, Hutson said. Either as the two were falling to the ground or just as they hit the ground, the boy's gun went off, striking the boy in the head, he said.

"It's still unclear if the kid was shooting at the trooper or if he was aiming at himself or if it was just an accident altogether," Hutson said.

Troopers did not take their own guns out of their holsters until after the shot was fired, he said. They did not fire any shots.

Other than a cut to his hand, the trooper in the scuffle was not injured. The troopers involved in the incident were placed on standard paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

As additional law enforcers were called to interview the remaining passengers, investigators learned that just prior to being pulled over, the group had picked up the other male passenger at his home in South Salt Lake and may have forced him against his will to get into the vehicle, Hutson said.

The boy was sitting in the back seat, in the middle, next to the victim who had the gun, he said.

No arrests had been made in the case as of Monday. Hutson said the vehicle was being searched for possible drugs and other evidence.

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