SALT LAKE CITY UT Feb 13 2020  A Salt Lake police officer was shot early Monday while responding to a disturbance at an apartment where a woman was found dead.

About 3:30 a.m., Natalie Thurber, 34, of Salt Lake City, called 911 to report a domestic problem, said Unified Police Sgt. Melody Gray. Officers responded to an apartment complex at 125 S. 300 East.

Neighbors also heard a disturbance and called police.

The first arriving officers could hear the disturbance from outside the apartment. At some point as they approached the apartment, there was an exchange of gunfire through a window between the gunman and officers, Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking said.

One officer was shot in the leg and was taken to a local hospital to be treated for the wound. The injury was not considered to be life-threatening, according to Wilking.

But Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown said it will a “long road” to recovery for the officer. He thanked the other officers on scene and emergency medical personnel for applying tourniquets and pulling the officer to safety. Wilking said the officer has been with the department for about year.

“I am so thankful that our officer is expected to recover,” the chief said.

The gunman ran from the apartment. He was captured a short time later near 200 South and 500 East with the help of a security guard, according to police. He was then taken to the hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound and will be booked into jail after he is released.

When officers went inside the apartment where the shooting occurred, Thurber was found deceased. A cause of death was not immediately released. Police believe she was dead before officers arrived.

The name of the injured gunman has not yet been released.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall joined Brown in offering her condolences to the family of the woman and to the injured officer.

“I’m grateful to the police department for their bravery and their willingness to protect and serve us in the community,” she said.

Two officers were placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting incident. Such actions are standard when an officer fires a weapon. Police did not say Monday whether the injured officer also fired his weapon. The Unified Police Department will conduct both the officer-involved shooting investigation and the homicide case.

Body camera video from the officers is expected to be publicly released by Feb. 25, per city policy.

Desert News

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