VERNAL, Utah — Utah County detectives are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Vernal late Thursday night.
According to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office, deputies and Vernal Police officers encountered a 16-year-old boy on Main St. shortly after 11 p.m.
The teen, whose name is withheld because he is a juvenile, had his hands concealed around his waist and advanced toward an officer, a news release from the Sheriff's Office said.
Police deployed a K9 and a Vernal officer opened fire.
The gunfire didn't strike anyone, but the boy suffered a dog bite injury, and he went to a hospital for evaluation. After the evaluation, police took the boy to be booked into the Split Mountain Youth Detention Center in Vernal.
"Police have closed Main Street from 500 West to 700 West in Vernal, and are detouring all traffic around that area. The closure is expected to remain in place for several hours to preserve the integrity of the crime scene," the news release said.
The street closure is expected to last until at least midday Friday, an update from the Sheriff's Office said. The following businesses and officers are closed until investigators clear the crime scene:
- Davis Food & Drug (Jubilee)
- Soda Shack
- Ashley Valley Water and Sewer District
- Basin Sports (front parking lot)
