Public health building shot with pellet gun after protests at homes of Utah officials
A Utah Department of Health building was shot with a pellet gun as protesters unhappy with a recent mask mandate converge on the home of the state’s top public health official, reports say.
The shooter fired on the agency’s office building in Millcreek overnight Thursday, hitting several windows and shattering a glass door, KSL reported. A spokesperson told the news outlet no one was injured nor did anyone enter the building.
The agency doesn’t know whether the shooting is connected to ongoing protests at the the homes of public health officials, KUTV reported.
Anti-mask protesters have converged on the home of state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn, who’s leading the state’s COVID-19 response. Gov. Gary Herbert called on protesters to stop in a statement on Thursday.
“These protests are disgraceful and the organizers behind them should cancel all planned protests immediately,” Herbert said. “It’s one thing to protest an elected official like myself, but it is completely out of bounds to protest at a state employee’s home.”
Protesters also went to the home of Utah Department of Health Executive Director Joseph Miner on Thursday night, KSL reported.
Masks are required and gatherings are limited to 10 people across much of the state.
On Friday, Utah issued an emergency alert as COVID-19 rapidly spreads across the state. Utah set a new daily record for number of confirmed cases at 2,292.
“Record cases. Almost every county is a high transmission area. Hospitals are nearly overwhelmed,” officials said.
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