Utah, June 16 (IANS) Three people, including an 8-month-old baby, were killed and two others injured in a mass shooting during the final night of WestFest, a cultural festival in West Valley City — US’ Utah’s second-largest city.
According to the West Valley City Police Department, the deceased victims include a 41-year-old woman, an 18-year-old man, and an infant. Two teenagers also sustained gunshot injuries, while a pregnant woman was hurt while attempting to jump a fence to escape the gunfire.
Police have taken a 16-year-old male into custody in connection with the incident.
West Valley City police spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuku confirmed that no other suspects are being sought at this time.
The shooting took place around 9:20 p.m. on Sunday (local time) at Centennial Park, directly in front of several carnival rides, creating chaos among families and children attending the festival.
Officers patrolling the area noticed a verbal confrontation between two groups. As they approached, the teenage suspect allegedly drew a gun and opened fire.
“At 9:20 p.m. officers working the WestFest carnival spotted two groups of people have a verbal altercation. As they approached to break up the altercation, a 16-year-old male from one of the groups pulled out a gun and fired. One officer fired and did not hit the suspect, but the 16-year-old male suspect was taken into custody,” the police department said on X.
While officers were nearby, they did not discharge their weapons and managed to apprehend the shooter shortly after the gunfire erupted.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and confusion, with families fleeing in all directions. Many turned to social media to report the heavy police presence and to share their accounts of the tragedy.
“Detectives are currently conducting interviews with witnesses. We believe there could be more people out there who witnessed the incident and we would like to talk to them,” the police said.
Investigators were still interviewing witnesses late Sunday night, and police urged anyone who may have left the area during the chaos to come forward with any information.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Authorities had not yet interviewed the suspect as of the Sunday night briefing and could not confirm whether gang affiliations were involved.
The annual WestFest is a popular celebration of the cultural diversity of West Valley City, making the deadly incident especially jarring for residents who gathered to enjoy music, food, and rides.
The investigation is ongoing.
–IANS
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