IRON COUNTY, Utah — A 17-year-old girl was shot and killed near Enoch late Friday by someone believed to have pursued the teen driver for several miles, officials said.
Iron County Sheriff Kenneth Carpenter announced Saturday afternoon that they had arrested three male suspects in an apartment near 3100 West and 1600 North in Cedar City, where they served a search warrant. Carpenter said a fourth arrest was expected to be made at a different location.
"We feel pretty good that we have our suspects in custody at this time," Carpenter said.
The ages of the suspects were not stated.
The sheriff said investigators identified a truck that was possibly involved, then used that information to identify the suspects, and finally obtained a search warrant for the apartment where the suspects were arrested without any further incident. He added that the apartment was near the area where the victims first realized they were being followed.
Deputies responded to the area of Midvalley Road and 4300 West after receiving 911 calls of gunfire just before 10:30 p.m. Upon arriving, they found the injured teen and began performing life-saving measures before transporting the girl to Cedar City Hospital where she later died of her injuries.
Another girl was in the truck with the victim.
Investigators believe the suspects followed the victim for several miles in their own vehicle before pulling alongside and firing at the teen. The girl then lost control of her truck and crashed through a fence before coming to a stop northwest of the intersection.
The sheriff's office is asking anyone who may have seen the teen's red pickup truck being followed by a dark-colored truck or SUV on Lund Highway between 1600 North and Midvalley Road or heading west on Midvalley Road toward the Three Valley Campground to contact law enforcement authorities.
"Any information could be crucial to the ongoing investigation," the sheriff's office said.
Carpenter added that this is now a homicide investigation.
In addition, anyone who may have surveillance video of the area during the late Friday night period is asked to share it with the sheriff's office.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the young woman who lost her life during this tragic act of violence," the office added.
