LAYTON, Utah — (KUTV) A Utah Highway Patrol trooper is in the hospital after being shot multiple times early Friday morning.

Sgt. Paul Kotter was working in a construction zone on Highway 193 near Hill Field Rd. in Layton around 2:30 a.m. when police say a man approached him and opened fire, hitting Kotter several times.

“Two rounds to the lower vest, the lower portion of the back, they were both stopped by the vest. One bullet entered his buttocks,” Utah Highway Patrol Colonel Daniel Fuhr said.

Kotter was able to fire off several shots at the male suspect as he sped off westbound on Highway 193. Several other troopers heard the shots and workers at the scene saw the incident unfold.

“Construction workers were screaming at additional troopers in the area, saying, ‘this individual just shot your state trooper, go get him,” Fuhr said.

About 200 yards away from the scene of the shooting, the suspect crashed into a parked construction vehicle.

When the troopers caught up to him he was dead inside his vehicle from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to UHP. Layton later clarified that the cause of death has not been definitively confirmed.

Sgt. Kotter was reported to be in good condition at the hosital and was undergoing surgery to have bullet fragments removed from his lower back.

The Davis County Critical Incident Protocol Unit is investigating the shooting.

Police have identified the suspect as Drew Moyer, 21. Moyer was charged with misdemeanor drug possession in February 2013. The charges were dismissed without prejudice in December 2014.

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