An officer with Utah’s Department of Natural Resources has been placed on administrative leave following a shooting that left a man in the hospital. Authorities in Duchesne County had announced an “attempt to locate” a certain individual when the wildlife officer found that person during a traffic stop.
“Shots were fired” during the traffic stop around 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from Utah’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The suspect was injured during the shooting and taken to a hospital near Salt Lake City. The wildlife officer was not injured.
Capt. Chase Pili told GearJunkie he couldn’t reveal what the injured person was suspected of or why police were trying to locate him. Information on the condition of the individual was not immediately made available.
“We’re just waiting on the investigation right now,” Capt. Pili said.
The officer has been placed on leave while Utah’s State Bureau of Investigation looks into the incident. That’s the policy when police are involved in shootings, according to the Utah DNR.
A spokesperson for the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office said they would release more information on Wednesday. GearJunkie will update this story with further details as they develop.
