A woman was in custody Friday night after a shooting inside Kids Empire in Salt Lake City, where police said a dispute over two young children turned violent in front of families and children. The shooting happened about 6:40 p.m. at the indoor playground at 1082 South 300 West.
Salt Lake City Police Lt. Cody Lougy said the woman used her own gun to shoot her ex-husband during the custody dispute. A good Samaritan moved in and disarmed her before a responding officer arrived, and police then took the woman into custody.
The man, who was in his 30s, was rushed by paramedics to the hospital in critical condition. The woman, also in her 30s, was not publicly identified beyond her age. A police spokesperson said 5-6 children and several adults witnessed the shooting, underscoring how quickly a family dispute spilled into a public space filled with bystanders.
The scene at Kids Empire was especially alarming because the shooting unfolded inside a place designed for children, with multiple families present when the gunfire broke out. Police said multiple witnesses were taken in for questioning as investigators worked through what happened and how the gun was brought into the building.
The case now turns on the details investigators will sort out from those witnesses and the people who were inside the play area when the dispute escalated. Kids Empire will remain closed while the investigation continues, leaving a normally loud and crowded venue shut down after a confrontation that ended with one parent in custody and another fighting for his life.
