SALT LAKE CITY -- Two police officers are recovering Saturday after walking into a gang fight.
The incident started at Sugar House Park during the Fourth of July celebration, where police said the suspects stole a couple of cell phones.
The victims used a cell phone application to track the stolen phones to an address in Rose Park, and at that point they called police with the lead. When officers showed up to 985 N. Riverside Drive, they said they were confronted by at least ten people who started throwing punches.
“They called for help and other officers arrived who were able to get the situation under control," said Lt. Carl Merino of the Salt Lake City Police Department. "Both of our officers were transported to the hospital, The officer who was stabbed during the fight didn't realize he had been stabbed. Another officer actually found a knife sticking out of his back just below the vest.”
Six people were taken into custody for assaulting a police officer; the others were cited for the fight.
Police said several people at the scene took cell phone video, which they expect will show the person who stabbed the police officer and the person who pushed the other one.
“The officer with the neck injury was knocked to the ground on some stairs and landed head first," Merino said. "It's going to be muscle strain and ligaments and things like that. But he's going to be OK as well."
Both officers have already been treated and released from the hospital. Salt Lake City Police Department officials said they are not yet releasing the names of the suspects or the officer involved.
