Suspect arrested in Salt Lake City fatal shooting

Colton James Beed. Photo: Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 13, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect has been arrested in the Saturday night fatal shooting of a 26-year-old man in the area of 400 North Star Crest Drive.

Colton James Beed, 20, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon and was booked into Salt Lake County Jail, where he is facing several felony charges in the murder of Mason Hunt.

According to a probable cause statement filed in Salt Lake County, the incident began at about 8:09 p.m., when Beed met with other people and planned to commit a home invasion burglary for controlled substances.

Beed reportedly drove some of the people to the residence in his own vehicle, while the others drove there in a blue truck.

“During this burglary at the listed residence Colton was wearing a ski mask to conceal his identity while others were placed in charge of carrying firearms and utilized as lookouts,” the probable cause statement says.

After others in his group kicked in the side door of the home, Beed and his cohorts entered and rummaged through the residence in search of drugs.

The resident, referred to in the statement as Y.Y., was at home and hiding in the bathroom while this was going on.

Y.Y. attempted to call 911 but couldn’t get through, so Y.Y. called a friend, Mason Hunt (referred to as M.H. in the probable cause statement), who was at work nearby.

According to the statement, Beed and the others left the residence, but after driving only a short distance, decided to return to the house, where they resumed rummaging and stealing drugs, paraphernalia, and Y.Y.’s vehicle, which was parked in the driveway.

Hunt went to the home to help Y.Y., and arrived as Beed and his group were on the property.

“M.H. responded by getting out of his vehicle in front of the residence and confronted Colton and others exiting the residence. A physical altercation took place with M.H. and Colton and others, where M.H. was struck over the head with a rifle and then shot,” the statement says.

The police responded to the scene, and Hunt was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where he died a short while later.

Beed and the others had fled in Beed’s vehicle and another one, and Beed dropped off those of the group who were riding with him. Afterward, Beed threw the mask he had worn during the burglary out of the vehicle. Upon arriving at his home, Beed threw the latex gloves he had worn during the burglary into the garbage.

The probable cause statement says Beed “was interviewed and Post Miranda admitted to all of the above details.”

He is facing charges of:

  • Murder, a first-degree felony
  • Two counts of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony
  • Obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony

1 COMMENT

  1. My heart goes out to the friends and family of Mason Hunt. He was trying to help a friend and it cost him his life. It’s heartbreaking. As for not being able to get through to 911, WHY? Were there not enough staff to handle incoming calls, or was it some other reason? I’d like to know the reason y.y.couldnt get through.

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