CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Two schools put on “shelter in place” after gunfire in West Valley
Mar 22, 2018, 6:51 PM | Updated: 7:15 pm
WEST VALLEY – For the second time in a week, shots are fired near schools in the Granite School District. This time the gunfire was sparked because of a confrontation between two groups of teens. Officers say the fight happened near 3300 West and 3420 South.
“As the groups were separating, shots were fired from one of the groups toward the other group,” says West Valley Police Sergeant Scott Arnold.
No one was hurt, and many of the juveniles involved have been found and interviewed by police. Arnold says they were able to find evidence of a shooting when they arrived.
“[We found] shell casings, a vehicle and a home that home that appears that may have been struck by errant rounds,” Arnold says.
Since the shots were so close to Granger High School and West Lake Junior High School, both schools were put on “shelter in place” order. Granite School District Spokesman Ben Horsley says it only lasted between 45 minutes to an hour. There might be some students who heard the gunfire.
“There were obviously some kids that were experiencing some anxiety. We worked with those students, and got then back to class as quickly as possible,” according to Horsley
He says many students have been quite anxious about their safety since the school shooting in Florida, so, he says counseling will be available for kids that need it.
“There is always, especially as of late, a little bit of anxiety among our students. Kids get a little overwhelmed with that,” Horsley says.
