SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office has identified the two victims and the suspect involved in a shooting outside the Salt Lake City area’s jail on Saturday.
The two deputies who were injured are Deputy Joshua Buerke and Deputy Leland Grossett.
Deputy Buerke was shot in the cheek and released from the hospital on Saturday. Deputy Grossett was shot in the eye, which he eventually lost. After undergoing surgery, he is now in stable condition.
The suspect, who was shot and killed at the scene, has been identified as 31-year-old Joshua Michael Johnson.
"I want to thank the public for their outpouring of support and well wishes for our deputies," said Sheriff Rosie Rivera. "We ask that the public and media respect the privacy of our deputies and their families during this difficult time."
A motive for the shooting has not yet been established.
Grossett's family issued the following statement through the sheriff's office Sunday evening:
"We appreciate the support of the community and for everyone that has reached out in support of our family at this time.
"Leland underwent surgery yesterday and lost his eye due to his injury. He is doing well and has been moved out of the ICU today. We are thankful that he is alive and looking forward to bringing him home soon.
"Leland's team is amazing. We know that the outcome of this shooting could have been different if it weren't for the team's quick response. We are also grateful for his partner Deputy Joshua Buerke and are relieved to hear that he is home recovering from his injuries.
"One man's life was lost in this shooting and we want to express our condolences to his family. We hope they are able to find peace and know that we harbor no ill will.
"Right now Leland's recovery is our biggest priority. We want to thank the media, community, and other well-wishers in advance for supporting Leland's recovery by respecting our privacy."
Jonah Napoli at KSTU first reported this story.
