Police are investigating two homicides that took place at the start of Memorial Day weekend.
A man was arrested by Unified Police as a suspect in the first shooting, which happened Friday at a barbecue near the 8000 block of Westbury Drive in Magna, according to a probable cause statement. Police arrived at the scene after receiving a call about gunshots and screaming.
Officers found a man who was dead and bleeding from his face. Police on Sunday identified him as 28-year-old Omar Isael Gomez Salazar, who they said had moved to Salt Lake City from Colorado last week for work.
The police spoke to several witnesses and obtained two video of the shooting, according to the probable cause statement. A witness told police that the suspect, who was at the barbecue, had argued with the victim over the phone. The victim then reportedly drove to the home where the barbecue was happening. The suspect allegedly shot the victim as soon as the victim left his car.
The first video shows the suspect shooting the victim, according to the probable cause statement, which says the second video shows the suspect then kicking the fallen victim.
Using cellphone pings, police found the suspect driving on I-15. He refused to pull over, so officers spiked his tires.
A second homicide took place a few hours later in Salt Lake City. Around midnight, police received reports of shots fired at a party near 2400 East and 1700 South, according to Lt. Andrew Cluff. He said it appears that there was a disagreement at the party before the shooting. He said one man died after being shot.
There are no other victims that police are aware of, according to Cluff. He said police don’t believe there is a threat to the public, but they haven’t identified a suspect yet.
Salt Lake City police are asking for anyone with information to call 801-799-3000.
