Teen shoots self in toe, then friend fires at clerk in mistaken retaliation, police say

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah — Two teenage boys were recently arrested in a bizarre shooting outside a Cottonwood Heights 7-Eleven store.

The boys initially believed the store clerk had shot one of the boys, prompting his friend to shoot at the clerk, according to police. They discovered later, however, that the boy had actually shot himself.

About 4 a.m. on Jan. 21, two 17-year-old boys were at a 7-Eleven, 3720 E. Fort Union Blvd. One of the boys went inside the store and asked if he could use the bathroom. The boy was told no, allegedly because it was not in order, said Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Gary Young.

The boy then put his hands in his hoodie pocket, and according to detectives, managed to fire a round from the gun that was in his pocket, Young said. The shot hit the boy’s toe. But neither the clerk nor the teen initially realized what had happened. Young said the clerk thought a firecracker had just gone off.

When the boy went back to his car in the parking lot and realized his foot was injured, he told his friend he thought he had just been shot by the clerk, Young said. At the same time, the clerk went outside to empty garbage cans.

While the clerk was in the parking lot, the other boy got out of the car with his own gun and fired four rounds at the man, the sergeant said. None of the shots hit the clerk.

The boys then took off. Police were called and reviewed store surveillance video to piece together what had happened.

The injured boy was dropped off at Intermountain Medical Center about an hour later to be treated for his injury. Doctors called Murray police, who then contacted Cottonwood Heights police after hearing they were looking for a possible shooting victim, Young said.

Officers were able to track down the two boys and arrest them, one for investigation of aggravated assault and the other for possession of a gun by a restricted person.