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15-year-old girl inside home while shots fired at residence

Posted at 6:38 PM, Apr 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-04 20:38:52-04

SALT LAKE CITY - A quiet neighborhood in West Salt Lake City, was suddenly wakened by the sounds of gunshots.

"I heard five distinct shots," said Tonya Hatch, who lives nearby. "I was climbing into bed when I suddenly heard boom, boom, boom, boom," she added.

Police say someone opened fire on a house just before midnight.  The bullets hitting the front of the house, and the side.

"Two of the windows were broken out, one upstairs," said Robin Heiden, spokeswoman with Salt Lake City Police. "One bullet hit the TV, one hit a wall, and one hit the couch.  So, the female inside was really lucky not to get hit.”

Police are still looking for a motive and for suspects, but neighbors say a fight happened outside the house the night before, with someone landing face first in the street.

Friends who know the family say that whoever is responsible for the shooting first knocked on the front door, a 15-year-old girl was inside.  Police say the girl thought the house was being robbed, so she ran to the bathroom just moments before the shots were fired.  As a result, she was not injured.

As police continue to look for suspects, neighbors react.

"I'm kind of in shock," said Michael Herrera, who lives across the street.  "My youngest kid heard the shots and came into my room and woke me up," he added.  "I hope they catch whoever is responsible."