WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH – October 15, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – A suspect who shot a man multiple times in an altercation in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart has surrendered to police.
According to West Valley City Police Spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuku, an argument began between two men inside the Wal-Mart store on 3180 West 5600 South on October 14 at approximately 5 p.m. The cause of this argument is not yet clear.
One of the men left the store and was followed out by the other man, identified as Cole Shields, 31. The two men started fighting, and at some point, Shields pulled out a handgun. As the victim was retreating to his vehicle, Shields fired multiple shots, hitting the victim twice in the feet.
West Valley City Police investigators have negotiated the surrender of Shields. He turned himself into West Valley City Police Monday afternoon and was booked into the Salt Lake County jail. Shields has been booked on five counts of discharging a firearm. Two of those counts are first-degree felonies since the attack caused serious bodily injury. The other three counts are third-degree felonies. Additional charges include one count of felony, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of obstruction of justice for discarding the firearm used in the shooting incident.
Shields was accompanied during the incident by Cassandra Burningham, 24. Burningham has also met with WVCPD investigators. She was not booked, but the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office will review her involvement in the case to determine what, if any, charges might be warranted.
