SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 26, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City police have released new information in the shooting death of University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe, who was killed at a party just after midnight on Sunday morning.
SLCPD Communications Director Brent Weisberg confirmed that uninvited guests were asked to leave the party, and Lowe was outside the residence when he was fatally shot. A woman was also shot and was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
Weisberg said police are hopeful that guests at the party, held in the 2200 block of S. Broadmoor St., will come forward with videos and photos that may help them track down the shooter or shooters, who remain at large.
“There were a lot of witnesses … we believe that several of the people who likely have key information to this investigation likely left the area. Our detectives are asking them to come forward,” Weisberg told reporters at a Sunday morning news conference.
“We believe many of the witnesses who are at this house party either have photos or videos, and detectives are very interested in reviewing that. So we would ask that anyone who has information on this case to contact the Salt Lake City Police Department.”
Weisberg said Lowe was an invited guest.
“These unknown individuals came to the house, they were asked to leave by people who are hosting the party. That’s when there was a disturbance, and that is when there was the shooting that occurred … The people who were hosting the party wanted it to be a relatively small party, and the individuals who showed up were not invited guests, and they were asked to leave.”
Dispatch was initially called at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday by neighbors, who reported too much noise, Weisberg said.
“At approximately 12:20 Sunday morning, we got the call about a fight involving a weapon. That’s when the call was changed from a noise complaint to a fight with a weapon that automatically elevated the priority from a noise complaint to in-progress emergency, and that’s when those officers were immediately dispatched.”
A call came in at 12:28 a.m. reporting shots fired, Weisberg said. Arriving officers learned shots had been fired and there were victims, Weisberg said. A tactical plan was formed for officer safety, because it was unknown if the shooter or shooters remained on scene. Life-saving efforts began immediately.
Lowe was deceased at the scene.
Weisberg said facts still being determined include how many shooters were present and how many guns were fired.
A lot of party attendees may have left in the chaos that followed the gunfire, Weisberg said.
“It was a very severe and very chaotic situation. We would like those people to come forward. Again our detectives are committed to seeking justice in this case, and we would like them to please come forward and talk with our detectives.”
Weisberg called the shootings “a tragedy,” saying the death of Lowe, specifically, “is devastating for our community here in Salt Lake City. It’s devastating for the University of Utah community, and our detectives are working this case as diligently as they can. They were out at the scene along with our crime lab technicians piecing together all of the evidence on scene and working to again see justice in this case.”
Detectives are talking with homeowners who may have security video, Weisberg said, but the big hope is that party videos and photos exist.
“This was a house party, and typically at house parties people are usually on their phones, either texting or communicating on social media, so there is a likelihood that people will have some videos or photos that will be instrumental to this investigation.”
