SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, Aug. 16, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Court records reveal new information about the South Jordan house party shooting that left a 23-year-old man critically injured and a 19-year-old suspect jailed and being held without bail.
The teen taken into custody is Jeremiah John Thompson. He faces charges of:
- Criminal homicide (attempted), a second-degree felony
- Felony discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony
- Threat/use of a dangerous weapon in a fight, a class A misdemeanor
- Carry a dangerous weapon under the influence of alcohol/drugs, a class B misdemeanor
- Purchase, possess, consume by minor, measurable amounts, a class B misdemeanor
South Jordan police were summoned on a shots-fired call at about 4 a.m. Sunday to the scene, a residence near 10000 South and 2600 West.
“Prior to arrival, dispatch informed officers there was active shooting in the home and an unknown male had been shot and multiple individuals were fleeing from the home,” Thompson’s probable cause statement says. “The shooter was described as a Hispanic male with dreadlocks, wearing a white shirt and black shorts.”
Lt. Matt Pennington, South Jordan Police Department, told Gephardt Daily that arriving officers found, “a pretty chaotic scene with people everywhere, and we have a 23-year-old victim who was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle, then Life Flighted to emergency care at IMC.”
Officers arrived from multiple law enforcement agencies, some bringing armored vehicles, to help set up a containment operation. A reverse 911 call was sent out to ask area residents to shelter, Pennington confirmed. That order was cancelled at about 10 a.m.
Thompson’s affidavit says officers heard a gunshot from inside the house at about 4:40 a.m.
“While officers was on containment in a backyard to the south end of the home, a female exited the back door and began to interact with officers,” says the statement, filed by an officer of the South Jordan Police Department.
“The female, who was late identified as the homeowner, advised officers there were still six more individuals in the home, including two children. Officers had all the parties exit the home from the back stairwell and jump the fence into the neighbor’s home. While officers was directing the parties over the fence, officers observed a light skin male with dreadlocks wearing a white shirt and black pants in the group who matched the description of the shooter who was later identified as Jeremiah Thompson. Upon the male’s exit of the backyard he was taken into custody and placed in a patrol car.”
The homeowner then told officers Thompson, her stepson, had shot someone, and was the person in police custody, the statement says.
A witness provided video of the shooting in the garage area of the residence, the statement says.
“The video shows an altercation between two females. The video shows what appears to be several individuals attempting to break up the altercation between the two females. The victim is observed in the video attempting to stop the altercation. Jerimiah is observed displaying a handgun and shooting the victim. Jerimiah matches the description given by witnesses and the male observed on video. The step mother Jennifer and at least two other witnesses provided Jerimiah’s description and identified Jerimiah as the shooter. Jeremiah was taken into custody on scene.”
Post Miranda, Thompson admitted to possession a pink and sliver 9mm handgun in a holster on his person, which he said his stepmother had purchased about two weeks earlier, his probable cause statement says, adding that Thompson admitted to getting the handgun from a safe and wearing the gun around his house several times before the night of the shooting.
“Jeremiah admitted to inviting several friends over the house to hang out,” the officer’s statement says. “Jeremiah said over the course of the evening he had drank several beers. Jeremiah admitted to still carrying the handgun on his person while drinking these alcoholic beverages. While talking with Jeremiah I was able to smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. I noticed that Jeremiah had glassy blood shot eyes. A warrant was requested and granted to a blood screening on Jeremiah.”
Thompson said the people arguing were invited by people he had invited.
“Jeremiah said he was standing in the kitchen when he heard yelling and screaming outside in the garage. Jeremiah said he exited the home into the garage through the man door. Jeremiah said when he exited the house he heard (his stepmother) yelling ‘Get the f**k out of my house.'”
Thompson said he saw a female holding a broom over her head, but never saw her hit anyone with it, or swing it.
“Jeremiah admitted to pulling the gun out and pointing it towards a male and pulling the trigger one time, striking this individual in the chest area. Jeremiah said he was shooting in defense of himself and others.”
The witness-provided video shows “two female’s involved in a physical altercation. It also shows two males including the victim attempting to separate the females,” the probable cause statement says.
“Jeremiah immediately pointed the gun at the victim, firing the gun striking the victim. The victim and no others are observed in the video attempting to assault anyone prior to the shot being fired. The victim was transported by friends to Riverton Hospital for treatment. The victim was transported via life flight to Intermountain Medical Center. Upon arrival at IMC the victim under went surgery and is currently in stable condition.”
Gephardt Daily will have more information on this case as it develops.
