Gunman who killed U. student tried to kidnap witness, police say

Nov 1, 2017, 6:37 PM | Updated: 6:53 pm

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UNIVERSITY OF UTAH – Police are giving more information about another victim who was present during the deadly shooting near Red Butte Canyon Monday night.  Meanwhile, they say they’re still searching for the murder weapon.

Police say a woman was in the car with ChenWei Guo when Austin Boutain attempted to carjack them.  University Police Sergeant Garth Smith says, “After the shooting, victim number 2 was then confronted by Mr. Boutain who attempted to force her up the canyon.”  The second victim was able to run away from Boutain when he was distracted, but, Smith says Boutain fired two shots at her.  She was not physically hurt, but seriously traumatized.

Several different agencies came to the mouth of the canyon to set up a containment area to find Boutain, however, he was able to move around it.  “Due to the size of the area and the makeup of the terrain, Mr. Boutain was able to escape our containment to the north by low-crawling high up on the mountain and walking through the Avenues neighborhood,” Smith says.

Investigators are trying to track down the gun that was used during the shooting, and there could be a second gun that Boutain traded for marijuana.  However, they did learn more information about a stolen pick-up truck that Austin and Kathleen Boutain took from their alleged victim in Golden, Colorado.  “The truck was given to another transient couple upon their arrival here in Salt Lake City,” according to University Police Chief Dale Brophy.

(Photo Credit: Spenser Heaps)

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Gunman who killed U. student tried to kidnap witness, police say