A peaceful march in Salt Lake City was marred by violence on Saturday when a protester was critically injured in a shooting during what has been described as the largest "No Kings" demonstration in the state of Utah, according to local reports.
The victim, who has not yet been named, was reportedly shot on State Street and provided emergency care directly in front of the Liberty SKY apartment complex, as per Salt Lake Tribune, three individuals have since been taken into custody in connection with the incident, though the motive remains under investigation it is believed that "involved four people," including the injured victim, the local police department stated.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed her distress over the incident, emphasizing the right to safety during the exercise of First Amendment rights, saying, "The violence we’ve seen today in Salt Lake City and elsewhere in the country is horrific—it’s just not who we are," and acknowledged the Salt Lake City Police Department for their timely response to prevent further violence and aid peaceful marchers, as obtained by KUTV.
Before the tragic shooting occurred the protest remained orderly with the 10,000 participants following a peaceful route through downtown, this was in stark contrast to the simultaneous "No Kings" protests nationwide, which began as a rebuke of the joint military celebration for President Donald Trump's 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army as well as following the recent anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests, as reported by FOX 13.
