Five individuals, including three teens, were arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting in Payson, as police responded to gunshots on Tuesday near the intersection of 500 North and 700 East. A man reported that shots were fired at his car while he was inside, as reported by KUTV.
Shortly after the incident, the alleged shooters were spotted in the same vehicle in Spanish Fork. They proceeded to openly fire two rounds into the victim's car. The occupants then escaped to the safety of a nearby fast-food restaurant to wait for law enforcement, according to KSL. A Payson police officer noted, "Upon review of victim's vehicle I noted there to be two holes on the passenger side rear quarter panel near one of the occupants of the vehicle." Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Following the attack, Payson police successfully located and stopped the suspected vehicle near 750 North and 600 East. While the specifics around the shooting and the relationship between the involved parties remain undisclosed, there is a possibility of the event being gang-related. The motive, however, is yet to be ascertained.
After the arrests, Sgt. Noemi Sandoval of the Payson Police Department expressed gratitude towards those involved in the quick response to the shooting. "We would like to thank the dedicated officers of our department as well as those responding agencies and dispatch personnel who played a crucial role in this incident," Sgt. Noemi Sandoval said, as per ABC4.
