FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2, 2025

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PolicePIO@slc.gov

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SLCPD Gang Unit’s Effort of Prioritizing Gun Violence Results in 12 Firearms Being Seized

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) is announcing that as part of a strategic approach of disrupting gun and gang violence, the SLCPD’s Gang Unit safely seized 12 firearms during a one-week period.

Between March 23 and March 29, 2025, gang detectives seized 12 firearms tied to multiple ongoing criminal investigations across Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake Valley.

The seizures followed the execution of several search warrants and are part of the SLCPD’s broader effort to combat gun violence and gang-related crime.

These investigations remain active. While the SLCPD is limited in the details it can share at this time about the cases, the SLCPD wants community members to know that this work is a critical part of our strategy to get illegally possessed firearms off our streets.

Every gun recovered during a gang or violent crimes investigation represents a potentially violent situation that our detectives helped prevent.

The SLCPD’s Gang Unit is coordinating with prosecutors at both the United States Attorney’s Office and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office to help ensure offender accountability.

The SLCPD wants to recognize the dedicated assistance of both agencies for their help on these cases.

Among the cases that led to a firearm seizure is an incident involving a juvenile suspect, emphasizing the urgent need for early intervention, education, and prevention.

The SLCPD’s Gang Unit is more than an enforcement squad. The detectives work to educate, mentor, and protect our community.

SLCPD gang detectives proactively engage with youth and work alongside schools and community partners to divert kids away from gang involvement before it begins.

The SLCPD Gang Unit is comprised of highly trained and dedicated detectives who specialize in investigating gun crimes with a gang nexus.

Their work often involves building long-term investigations, coordinating with federal and local partners, and conducting high-risk operations that require a deep understanding of Salt Lake City’s evolving public safety landscape.

As these investigations continue, SLCPD remains committed to keeping our community informed while protecting the integrity of each case.

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

The Salt Lake City Police Department is not the custodian of record for jail booking photos. Utah Code 17-22-30 mostly prohibits the release of jail booking photos. Generally, a jail booking photo can only be released by the custodian of record after a conviction or when law enforcement determines the person is a fugitive or an imminent threat to a person or public safety. In Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of record for jail booking photos.

The information contained in this news release is based on a preliminary review of the details available to the Salt Lake City Police Department. As the investigation progresses, information may change.

(Photo: A Salt Lake City Police Gang Unit detective shown in a photo with a Salt Lake City police car in the background – April 2, 2025, Salt Lake City Police).

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