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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 23, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect has been arrested after a fatal shooting outside the Wienerschnitzel in Salt Lake City Saturday morning.
A probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Salt Lake County said Payton Lee Akridge, 26, is facing a charge of murder, a first-degree felony. Akridge was arrested at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday.
Patrol officers were dispatched to 55 N. 800 West outside Wienerschnitzel at 10:43 a.m., the statement said.
“Patrol officers located a male victim with several gunshot wounds to his upper torso on the sidewalk at the listed address,” the statement said. “The male victim was transported to University Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased. A witness who heard the shooting and observed the suspect vehicle fleeing the area followed the suspect vehicle and took a photo of the vehicle plate and supplied it to detectives.”
A records check was performed and the vehicle came back as a 2004 Silver Honda Odyssey registered to the suspect’s fiancée.
“Video surveillance was collected in the area which shows the listed silver Honda Odyssey parked curbside on the east curbline of 800 West,” the statement said. “A male exits the vehicle and approaches a group of individuals on the park strip for a short time. The male then enters back into the driver’s seat of the Honda Odyssey and makes a U-turn heading northbound on 800 West.”
The driver then made another U-turn at 800 West and North Temple, and headed back southbound on 800 West. The van pulled up curbside again on the east curbline of 800 West, where the victim approached the passenger front door of the van.
“The video shows the driver immediately fire several rounds at the victim, to where the victim flees on foot a short distance to the north and collapses near the sidewalk from his injuries,” the statement said. “The van then flees southbound on 800 West.”
An attempt to locate, or ATL, was broadcast out to patrol officers, and the Honda Odyssey van was located at the Ramada Inn at 1659 W. North Temple in the south parking lot, unoccupied. Patrol officers came in contact with the registered owner, Akridge’s fiancée, at this address.
“She was transported to the Public Safety Building for an interview, where she stated that her fiancé was driving the van and that they went to the area of 55 N. 800 West looking for heroin,” the statement said. “She stated that Payton pulled to the curb and exited the vehicle to get heroin from people in this area. While Payton was outside the vehicle she moved to the backseat of the van and laid down.”
The woman then heard several gunshots to which she sat up in the van and asked Akridge what happened. “Payton replied to her that ‘he said I was a punk,'” the statement said.
The woman stated that after the shooting, she and Akridge drove to Draper and picked up heroin and then returned back to the Ramada on North Temple, the statement said. She stated that they both injected heroin and changed their clothes in the hotel. The two were planning on leaving the motel when she was made aware by the suspect that police were around her van. She made contact with the police and Akridge left in an unknown direction away from the police on foot.
An ATL was broadcast for Akridge and he was located in the area of 100 S. 600 West, walking, the statement said. He was detained and brought to the Public Safety Building for an interview. After being read his Miranda rights, he told detectives that he and his fiancée are the only two that utilize the van and that it is very rare that anyone else is in the van. He also told officers he and his fiancée “are heroin addicts, however after a short time in the interview he requested an attorney,” the statement said.
Akridge is currently on felony probation with AP&P. He was transported to Salt Lake County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
