WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, June 19, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The juvenile suspect in a West Valley City shooting last week has turned himself in, police officials say.
“The suspect in last week’s Lake Park shooting is in custody,” a West Valley City Police tweet issued on Wednesday says.
“The suspect, who is a juvenile, turned himself in overnight. He has been booked in detention on aggravated assault, discharging a firearm and inciting a riot.”
The juvenile — whose name will not be released due to his age — is suspected of opening fire on four people inside a car outside a West Valley City apartment complex Thursday, June 13.
Police ended up pursuing the car when it fled from officers, creating two crime scenes for investigators: One outside the apartment on Lake Crest Drive, where the shots were fired, and one on Redwood Road, where the fleeing car came to a stop.
Police initially were summoned to the scene, at 2531 S. Lake Crest Drive, on the report of a loud arguments.
“When officers were still en route they were advised that there were shots fired in the argument,” Lt. M.T. Johnson, West Valley City Police Department, told reporters at the first scene. “They were also advised there was a black BMW leaving the scene at a high rate of speed. One of the officers that was in the area happened to see that BMW going out, and attempted to stop that vehicle.
“The vehicle fled from him. At that point, within half a mile of initiating the pursuit, the vehicle blew a tire and had to pull over to the side of the road, and the occupants surrendered. Four people were in that vehicle, one of which had a gunshot wound to the butt.”
Officers at the first scene say a black male in a red sweatshirt, since identified as a juvenile, had been arguing with the males in the BMW. As things grew heated the juvenile pulled a handgun and fired several rounds into the car before it sped off, police said.
A man named Mark was at the scene near 1900 S. Redwood where the black BMW stopped after losing a tire, and was approached by officers.
“I was just chilling, smoking on my break, just relaxing, next thing I know I hear cop cars,” said Mark, who preferred not to give his last name. “I was thinking it was an accident. I come out I see about two, three officers police officers gun pointed at a car, I think, ‘Oh, damn, this is not good.’ I was like, ‘Someone’s going to get shot.'”
Officers with guns drawn were looking at the car, Mark said, yelling, “‘Get out the car, get out the car, get the f*** out the car,’ yelling left and right. And I’m thinking, ‘Oh, man.'”
One male in the car was yelling that his brother had been shot, Mark said.
“While I’m watching them at gunpoint, I’m taking a video of it, watching the dude on the floor, next thing you know, yelling, ‘Whoever is in the car, get the f*** out, hands up.'”
Mark said one man limped out of the car, “barely standing up, almost falling. Cops say ‘Get up, get your hands up,’ and he was like clearly falling, and I’m like ‘The cops are going to shoot this dude.'”
In all, four males exited the car and were taken into custody without incident. The alleged shooter, from the first scene, had been at large before surrendering to police.
Johnson said that the male in the BMW who had been shot had, “one minor gunshot to his butt cheek.” That person was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Johnson said, to the best of his knowledge, no shots had been fired at the second scene, on Redwood Road.
To see the exclusive arrest video shot by Mark, click on the player immediately below the photo gallery.
