This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Salt Lake City's West High School was locked down late Thursday morning as police unsuccessfully looked for an auto theft suspect who ditched his stolen vehicle near the campus.
The man had been pursued into the area by the Utah Highway Patrol.
UHP Sgt. Todd Royce said the chase began just before 10 a.m. on northbound Interstate 15 in Utah County when troopers spotted a stolen white Nissan cargo van.
For the next 30 minutes, the suspect traveled various Salt Lake Valley interstates and surface streets as he attempted to elude troopers and other law officers. Finally, he abandoned the van near 300 W. 600 North.
UHP and Salt Lake City police set up a containment area and launched a search for the suspect, but by 11:10 a.m., after finding no trace of the man, the containment and school lockdown were lifted.
During the lockdown, all doors at the school were locked and students restricted to classrooms. A student sent a text to his mother, shared with The Tribune, reporting that school officials assured students they were not in danger.
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