Woman Discovered Dead, Officer Shot In Early-Morning Incident Downtown

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A woman was discovered deceased and a Salt Lake City police officer was injured during an officer-involved critical incident Monday morning in the downtown area.

Multiple agencies responded to a 911 call at approximately 3:30 a.m. in the area of 125 South and 300 East. Officers arrived at an apartment where there was an exchange of gunfire, authorities said.

SLCPD Detective Greg Wilking said an officer was shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition and is expected to recover. The suspect was also shot and fled the scene.

When police entered the apartment, they discovered the body of a woman, said Sergeant Melody Gray with the Unified Police Department, which is investigating per officer-involved critical incident protocol.

Police later identified the victim as Natalie Thurber, 34, of Salt Lake City.

It wasn’t immediately clear how or when Thurber died, but it appeared she was deceased before the exchange of gunfire between officers and the suspect.

Wilking said it isn’t clear who made the 911 call.

The suspect and Thurber were not married but were in a domestic relationship, Gray said.

The suspect in both Thurber’s death and the shooting that injured the SLCPD officer is a man in his 30s, Gray said. He was taken into custody in the area of 200 South and 500 East. He is being treated at the hospital, Wilking said.

Authorities said the incident was part of a domestic situation. During the investigation, residents in the apartment building were put into a “lockdown-type situation,” Wilking said.

“Our officers are there to escort them out of the apartment as is necessary,” he said.

At a press briefing later during the day, SLCPD Chief Mike Brown expressed sorrow that Thurber lost her life and his appreciation for the injured officer.

“I have visited with the officer in the hospital,” he said. “His spirits are good, despite what has occurred, and he is expected to recover — although it’s going to be a long road.”

Brown thanked the officers on scene who provided medical care and pulled the injured officer to safety.

“I trust in this situation that our officers had the training, the ability and the judgment to react and take care of this very dynamic situation,” he said. “They answer the call every day, putting their lives on the line to protect life, liberty in this community they love.”

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall also spoke at the press briefing. She praised the police department for their bravery and offered condolences to Thurber’s family.

This article will be updated if new information is made available. 

BREAKING: Active police situation unfolding in downtown Salt Lake City, officers have their weapons out. Gathering info now. Updates live on @KSL5TV starting at 4:30AM. #ksltv #utah pic.twitter.com/264u7oHNo5

— Shara Park (@KSLSharaPark) February 10, 2020