This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

AMERICAN FORK — Two people are confirmed dead following a shooting at a shopping center parking lot in American Fork, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Sunday night.

At about 7:25 p.m., a woman called Utah Valley Dispatch stating a man was shooting at her vehicle. Nearby officers from American Fork police, soon met by Lehi police and the Utah County Sheriff's Office, rushed to the scene and found the woman deceased near the Wal-Mart, 949 W. Grasslands Drive, Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.

Police began to search for the man's vehicle, described as a grey SUV with a flat tire. When police located the vehicle at a Gordmans parking lot, a man driving the vehicle fled the scene. The pursuit continued for a few minutes and ended near the front doors of a Cinemark Theater near 715 West Main Street.

An American Fork police officer and a Utah County Sheriff's deputy both fired at least one shot a piece at the man. Cannon said officials don't know if the rounds hit the man, as it is possible the individual sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

"We don't know if those rounds hit the suspect or not. It's possible also that he may have sustained a self-inflicted wound, but we don't know that. All we know is that he did sustain a head wound," Cannon said.

Cannon confirmed the officers involved in the incident ordered the man to drop a gun.

"The officers told him to drop the gun. He didn't," Cannon said.

Cannon said it wasn't immediately clear whether the man intended to run into the theater or other businesses, most of which were closed, but the two officers were concerned about the possibility.

Police and bystanders attempted life-saving efforts as an ambulance and medical helicopter responded, Cannon said. Medical personnel arrived at the scene and pronounced the man dead.

No bystanders were injured in the incident, Cannon said.

Police are investigating what precipitated the incident. Police have not identified the man or the woman. American Fork Police confirmed the woman and man had a romantic relationship and said a temporary protective order had been put in place just two weeks ago.

Roads and parking lots near the crime scenes were expected to remain closed for several hours as police investigated. An officer-involved shooting protocol team will investigate the incident, as will each of the three police agencies that responded Sunday night, Cannon said.

Contributing: McKenzie Romero, Nicole Vowell, Shara Park

×

Photos