A U.S. marshal shot and critically wounded a defendant on Monday in a Salt Lake City federal courthouse after the man rushed at a witness with a pen. The defendant, Siale Angilau, 25, was hospitalized with at least one chest wound, according to FBI spokesman Mark Dressen.
According to an account by a third party witness, at least six shots were fired.
The FBI say that per standard procedure, Angilau had not been restrained in the courtroom. The unharmed, unidentified witness who Angilau attempted to attack appeared to be in his mid-20s and was testifying about gang initiation.
Angilau was one of 17 people named in a 29-count racketeering indictment filed in 2010 accusing gang members of conspiracy, assault, robbery and weapons offenses. The courthouse was temporarily closed after the incident but reopened later in the day.