SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah, June 22, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Unified Police officials have released new details after a 19-year-old man was arrested in Millcreek Canyon Friday following the fatal shooting of a juvenile relative.
Arrested was Emilio Madrigal Rios, a known gang member according to paperwork in unrelated cases. The victim was his 17-year-old brother.
“Emilio Madrigal was booked into jail yesterday for one count of manslaughter and one count of obstruction of justice,” Detective Kevin Mallory, Unified Police, said Saturday at the Unified Police Department, in South Salt Lake.
“The autopsy happened this morning, and we get additional information from that, and then we expect to file formal charges to be filed sometime next week.”
Another revelation was the reason for the life-ending altercation.
The brothers “had gone up the canyon and one was in possession of a firearm, when an argument over possession of the firearm began, at which point it turned into a physical struggle, Mallory said. “And it was during that physical struggle that that firearm was discharged and it struck the victim.”
The shooting was reported at about 2:30 p.m., and officers were dispatched to a trailhead near 4800 E. Millcreek Canyon, Mallory said.
“The initial report was that there was an individual there that had been shot and it appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” he said. “When officers arrived, the found the male. Unfortunately, he had passed away at that time. There were citizens that were there that had tried to help him, but unfortunately, when law enforcement and medical arrived, he had already passed away.
“When they arrived, they did locate a shell casing from the incident, but were unable to locate a firearm,” Mallory said. “The victim’s brother, who is the individual who was arrested, was up there as well.”
The investigation began, and a K9 located a handgun in bushes about 50 feet from where the body initially was found.
“Generally speaking, a ‘self-inflicted’ is going to have a firearm located in very close proximity,” Mallory said. “The fact that it wasn’t found certainly raised suspicions. … Any time there’s a firearm involved, you obviously want to find the firearm. In this case, given where it was located, it obviously it was a cause for concern.”
Detectives from UPD’s Violent Crimes Unit were brought in, and took over the investigation, Mallory said. They conducted interviews and did forensic analyses.
“At the conclusion of that, they made an arrest on Mr. Madrigal,” Mallory said.
The obstruction of justice charge against Madrigal-Rios is related to his alleged attempt to hide the weapon, the detective said.
Only two people are involved, and the suspect is in custody, so the public is in not danger in the case, Mallory said.
Earlier charges
Madrigal-Rios was also arrested on May 19 of this year on suspicion of possession of a dangerous weapon, a second-degree felony; threatening a person with a dangerous weapon, a class A misdemeanor; possession of a controlled substances, marijuana, a class B misdemeanor; open container — alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor; and on no valid license and improper U turn, both infractions.
In addition, Madrigal-Rios was arrested on June 6 on suspicion of criminal trespass at his mother’s residence, where he did not live, and with interference with a peace officer, both class A misdemeanors; and failure to obey and officer, a class C misdemeanor.
Probable cause statement in both cases state that Madrigal-Rios is a documented gang member. The May 19 statement says that Madrigal-Rios had known ties to the gang Lay Low Crips.
