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CEDAR CITY — A business owner tried holding two people at gunpoint Thursday after catching them trying to steal money from a coin machine, officials said.

Cedar City police responded to Suds & Duds Laundromat around 4 p.m. after getting a report of a theft that was in progress, Cedar City police said.

Investigators discovered that the business owner was watching a male and a female on video surveillance as the man used tools to try to break into a coin machine.

The business owner confronted the suspects and told the man to stop while displaying a handgun. As the man walked toward the owner, the owner fired a gunshot into the wall, "reportedly as a warning shot," police said.

The business owner and the man got into a physical fight, which continued outside the business and onto the sidewalk. The man stopped fighting with the owner and he and the female got into an SUV that was parked in the parking lot.

The owner then tried to hold the two at gunpoint, and a passerby stopped to help. The passerby had a handgun as well and asked the business owner if he needed help. The two men held the male and female at gunpoint until police arrived.

The male and female were taken into custody without incident. A third person was discovered to be inside the vehicle at the time the incident occurred. It is unknown whether or not he was involved in the attempted theft.

The investigation is ongoing.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

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