SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 21, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — More information has been released after police say two known gang members, one a juvenile, allegedly carried out three drive-by shootings at the same home within two hours Wednesday night.
A probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Salt Lake City said Jordan Ray Gonzales, 26, is facing charges of:
- Three counts of felony discharge of a firearm, a second-degree felony
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony
- Failure to stop or respond at the command of police, a third-degree felony
- Failure to stop at command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor
Gonzales has also been charged in Utah’s U.S. District Court on a single Class D felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a ten year sentence in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The chain of events leading up to Wednesday night’s arrests began when Salt Lake City police investigating two previous drive-by shootings at a residence near 1560 West 500 South witnessed a third drive-by take place.
The arresting officer wrote in the probable cause statement for Gonzales: “While in the area, I heard what I recognized as multiple shots, four or five, being fired in the area of the same victim house which was occupied by residents at the time of the incident. Only seconds after hearing the shots, I observed a vehicle stopped directly in front of the same residence.”
The vehicle then drove away from the house at a high rate of speed.
“I got behind the vehicle seconds after the incident and attempted to stop it by activating my overhead emergency lights,” the arresting officer wrote. “The vehicle failed to yield and was pursued by officers at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was disabled during the chase and the driver of the vehicle ran on foot from officers. While fleeing from officers on foot the A/P (accused person) was observed removing a gun from his front waistband and throwing it in the air.”
The chase ended near 200 North and State Street, a couple blocks south of the State Capitol, and the suspects ran east toward City Creek Canyon.
A blood hound was called in to track the suspects, one of whom was found “hiding in a crevice in Memory Grove,” police said.
Both suspects were taken into custody and appeared to be intoxicated, officers said.
The juvenile suspect is 17-years old, police said.
The targeted house was the residence of a rival gang member who lives there with his family, according to the statement said. No one was wounded as a result of the incidents.
Gonzales has previously been convicted of felony drug possession and felony firearms possession. In November of 2019, he was arrested for shooting at another gang member.
He was transported to Salt Lake County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
