Police: Man arrested for assault at Salt Lake airport tried to grab officer’s gun

SALT LAKE CITY — A man arrested for assault at the Salt Lake City International Airport Sunday tried to grab a police officer’s gun and succeeded in grabbing a Taser while officers tried to subdue him, police said.

Two Salt Lake City Police Department officers arrested Scott Hollis, 28, after he was seen hitting and choking two apparently random people at the pick-up area of the airport at 5:07 p.m.

“As the officers tried to take Hollis into custody, Hollis attempted to grab an officer’s gun. During the fight, Hollis reached for and successfully took the other officer’s TASER,” SLCPD said. Officers recovered the device, which was not activated, SLCPD said.

“With the help of responding officers and community members, officers took Hollis into custody,” police said.

The man is said to have punched a man, 20, and choked a 17-year-old, prompting the police response. The officers who arrested Hollis were at the airport on an unrelated case, saw the attack, and intervened. Police said Hollis did not listen to instructions from the officers. One officer had a minor injury.

The assaults and arrest did not have any impact on airport operations. Police are investigating to determine a motive for the assaults and to determine if Hollis was intoxicated.

Officers booked Hollis into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on suspicion of two counts of disarming a police officer, aggravated assault, assault, and interfering with an arresting officer.

“The man appeared to be under the influence of some sort of intoxicants,” police said Sunday and also said the man may have taken public transportation at the airport and didn’t have a known reason to be there.

“Charges are only allegations, and every arrested person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” police said.