SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 6, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Police have arrested an 18-year-old man suspected of shooting and killing a man Saturday outside the Salt Palace Convention Center.
Nogolweit “Nunu” Kug was arrested about 4 p.m. Tuesday after turning himself in at the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building, 475 S. 300 East, Salt Lake City police said in a news release.
Kug is suspected of fatally shooting Deliford Knight, 41, about 3:15 p.m. Saturday near 150 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City police said. He is the third man arrested in connection with Knight’s death.
Police say Joshua Riak, 21, and Deng Buk, 22, “aided and abetted” Kug in the shooting. All three men were arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of murder and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies.
Police said Kug had been planning to leave the state prior to turning himself in.
“Our homicide detectives have dedicated more than 100 hours to this case,” Chief Mike Brown said. “Although we have made these three key arrests, our investigation is still very much ongoing. Because of the commitment of our homicide detectives, patrol officers and specialty units, we now have a better understanding of what unfolded on Saturday afternoon.
“I want to reassure everyone who lives in, works in and visits Salt Lake City that our police department is unwavering in our mission to help keep our community safe.”
Riak was arrested Monday following a traffic stop on Modesto Avenue near Modesto Park, 1175 S. 1000 West, police said. Salt Lake City police announced Buk’s arrest Sunday.
Police say Knight and his friends flew from Florida to Salt Lake City to attend Sneaker Con, a one-day event for buying, selling and authenticating shoe collections.
“According to information provided to detectives, Knight and his friends have traveled to similar conventions in different states where they engaged in betting matches to defraud people out of money,” the release states.
Witnesses told police Riak became angry after losing money to Knight in a “shell game” and followed him out of the convention center and onto West Temple, according to his probable cause statement filed Monday in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court.
“While on West Temple, the three suspects started fighting with Knight, assaulting him, and tried to get back the lost money,” the police statement says. “At some point, Kug, while in the presence of Buk and Riak, took out a gun and shot Knight.”
Police say Riak and Kug also stole a cellphone and cash from Knight’s pockets before leaving the area in a vehicle.
Witnesses were able to provide a vehicle description and license plate, and detectives also obtained surveillance video of the two men leaving the parking lot, police said.
