An 18-year-old has been charged with shooting a man in the back, killing him and leaving his body in the parking lot of a West Valley City restaurant.
Hassan Al-Rekabi of Murray was charged in 3rd District Court with murder and discharge of a firearm with serious bodily injury, first-degree felonies; and felony discharge of a firearm with injury and obstructing justice, second-degree felonies. His bail has been set at $1 million.
According to court documents, Jake Gengelbach, 22, was shot four times in the back. His body was discovered in the parking lot of Hires Big H at 4700 S. 2900 West early on the morning of April 28 when police responded to a report of shots fired in the area.
Witnesses told police that Al-Rekabi and Gengelbach were standing on opposite sides of a car when Al-Rekabi “reached over the top of the vehicle and fired four shots,” striking the victim. Court documents do not include an alleged motive.
The following day, a SWAT team tried to arrest Al-Rekabi at a home near 2100 East and 8900 South in Sandy. He drove away in a car, but was taken into custody in a nearby parking lot.
Two other men were arrested and booked into jail for investigation of obstruction; neither had been formally charged as of Wednesday afternoon.
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