SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 12, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City police have released the name of the suspect in an injury shooting Sunday in the downtown area.
A news release issued by the SLCPD says Johnny Cuevas, 30, has been charged on suspicion of:
- Aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony
- Three counts of felony discharge of firearm, shoot in direction of person, a third-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, alters/destroys/conceals/removes item, a class A misdemeanor
The victim was a 23-year-old man. He was taken by private vehicle to a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to his right foot.
“The motive for this shooting is still under investigation, but officers do not believe it to be random,” the police statement says.
The investigation started at 5:56 p.m. Sunday when a community member called dispatch and gave the address of 100 South 300 East, and disconnected.
Dispatch called back several times before the person answered and said someone had fired a gun. Calls from other community members “provided crucial information about the shooting and Cuevas.
“While officers searched the area for any victims, suspects, and evidence, they learned a man arrived at a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the foot.
Cuevas’ probable cause statement says witnesses followed him, and he fired three shots at them. They were not injured.
“Because of a community tip, officers quickly and safely detained Cuevas near the Main City Library. Officer also found and safely seized a firearm.”
It was video that helped officers find the gun.
On the video, the suspect “was seen wiping down and hiding the handgun into a garbage can.”
Officers have also determined there are two crime scenes associated with this incident, the SLCPD statement says. The first is located at 105 South 300 East, which is where officers believe the suspect shot the victim. The second is located at 250 South 300 East, which is where officers believe Cuevas shot toward witnesses as he fled the scene. That shooting did not injure anyone.
The names of the victims are not being released.
Post Miranda, Cuevas declined to speak with police. He was booked into the Salt Lake Metro Jail, where he is being held without bail.
