SALT LAKE CITY — SALT LAKE CITY — One person is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a fight broke out outside a Salt Lake City nightclub early Sunday morning.
Salt Lake City Police officials tell FOX 13 News that they received the call around 2:00 a.m. about a fight outside a nightclub in the area of 149 W. Pierpont Avenue.
“This was a very chaotic scene,” described Brent Weisberg, spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Officers found more than 100 people in the parking lot as the nightclubs were being emptied for the night, and observed fights breaking out among smaller groups.
"As our officers were trying to break everything up, they heard multiple gunshots in the area of where they were," said Weisberg. "That immediately forced their attention to try to figure out 'did they have a shooter on scene?'"
After officers conducted a quick search, they were able to locate one person, a 34-year-old man*, on the ground with life-threatening injuries. He was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. Doctors were able to determine that he was not shot, but more likely punched by an unknown person during the fight.
“I don’t want to be just trying to have a good time and have someone beat me up or see someone else get beat up,” said Gavin Rasmussen.
“I don’t think that should ever happen if you’re just going out looking for fun,” said Paileigh Nishikawa.
This comes a month after multiple people were injured from stabbings and fights inside the clubs.
“I just feel like every other week something ends up happening here,” said Kanav Mayawala, owner of Utah Gift Emporium.
The back of Utah Gift Emporium faces Pierpont Avenue. Mayawala said he’s seen a lot of sketchy situations happening on the sidewalk and in the private parking lot.
“I’ve seen someone even almost getting kidnapped,” he said. “I saw someone get put in the trunk of a car.”
SLCPD already has an ongoing effort to increase police presence in that specific area to try and reduce crime.
Mayawala said he hasn’t noticed much of a difference.
“I wish they would make their presence felt a little bit more — be seen, especially at nighttime,” he said.
“We have met with the business owners,” said Weisberg. “We’ve been communicating with them, trying to find ways to prevent what happened tonight from occurring.”
No arrests have been made and the incident remains under investigation. SLCPD is asking anyone with any information, photos or videos about the incident to call them at 801-799-3000.
*Police initially identified the victim as a woman, then later corrected the information.
