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Utah Highway Patrol seeks public assistance in fatal road rage shooting on State Route 201

Oct 07, 2024 12:20PM ● By Bailey Chism

By Bailey Chism | [email protected]

The Utah Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public as they investigate a fatal road rage shooting incident that caused the closure of State Route 201, also referred to as the 2100 South Freeway, in Salt Lake County.

On Monday morning, the eastbound lanes were entirely blocked off, with traffic being redirected at Redwood Road following an altercation that escalated around 5:20 a.m.

Authorities reported that one driver fatally shot another at the freeway exit, leading UHP to initially close the off-ramp and eventually the entire eastbound side for investigative purposes.

In footage from UDOT cameras, troopers were seen searching the highway with flashlights, scouring the closed lanes for evidence. UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden noted during a media briefing that close-up images of the scene were unavailable because the deceased individual remained inside the vehicle while evidence was gathered.

The investigation has not yet clarified what transpired in the moments preceding the shooting, and Roden expressed that any information from commuters would be beneficial. 

“We haven't been able to immediately identify (what led up to the shooting) right away,” he stated. “That is a time of morning we see a lot of people start to head into work. If there are other individuals that may have seen this incident or have any type of video footage that could help us out, we encourage them to contact the Utah Highway Patrol dispatch center and let us know what information they have.”

Only the deceased individual and the suspected shooter were involved in the incident, with one person currently in custody. However, UHP did not disclose whether this individual is the one believed to have exhibited road rage, and it remains unclear if the aggressive driver interacted with other motorists before the shooting occurred.

Two vehicles were present at the scene, one of which had collided with a jersey barrier, prompting UHP to cordon off the area. As of the latest update on this article, no booking documents related to this case had been filed with Utah courts.

The ongoing investigation has further complicated traffic conditions in an already challenging area, where closures were in effect due to a Utah Department of Transportation project. At one point during the commute, traffic delays stretched over 10 miles, and the Salt Lake City School District had to notify parents that their children would arrive late to school.

Since a law went into effect in July to implement a specific road rage tracking mechanism, the UHP has investigated over 40 road rage incidents, according to Roden. The parties involved in the SR-201 incident have not yet been identified.

Anyone with information that could assist the UHP is encouraged to reach out at UHP Salt Lake County Dispatch – 801-887-3800.