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Video shows chaotic scene of American Fork burglary suspect fleeing Walmart parking lot, suspect remains at large

Aug 10, 2022, 7:31 AM | Updated: Aug 11, 2022, 9:06 am

Digital Content Producer

AMERICAN FORK, Utah– Police are still looking for a man at the center of a now-canceled Amber Alert from late Tuesday night.

The suspect, 29-year-old Danny Sihalath, reportedly fled the scene of a burglary at a Walmart in American Fork after being told multiple times by police to stop.

The Amber Alert was issued when police realized a 5-year-old child was in Sihalath’s car. The child was later found safe in a home in Salt Lake City and the alert was canceled.

The car was found in West Valley City on Wednesday morning.

Police were called for a theft in progress

Police were dispatched to a Walmart on 949 Grassland Dr. in American Fork for theft in progress just before 9 p.m. Police said Sihalath fled the store when officers arrived.

Before that, police said they tried multiple times to engage Sihalath, who got into a car. An adult female who was a passenger exited the car and began to cooperate with the police.

The suspect then accelerated the car and hit the female according to police. She sustained minor injuries.

According to Lt. Josh Christensen with the American Fork Police Department, a deputy with Utah County Sheriff’s Office fired shots at the car as the suspect fled. It is unknown if the suspect was injured.

Video of the attempted arrest was taken by an onlooker, Sarah Terry, and was uploaded to a community Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon.

Witness reported chaos in the parking lot, shots fired

David Chavez witnessed what happened in the Walmart parking lot.

“Officers told him [the suspect] to get out of the car,” said Chavez “He reversed and hit the pedestrian. He got away and they started firing. All of us, we ran inside for our safety.”

Police lost the suspect but Christensen said more officers found and pursued him two more times before ending the chase.