SALT LAKE CITY – Police are investigating a homicide that took place in Salt Lake City Saturday morning, and a suspect was arrested Saturday night.
According to a probable cause statement from the Salt Lake City Police Department, Nicholas Valdez, 27, turned himself into police Saturday in connection with the shooting. Valdez declined to make a statement to police. Valdez had injuries consistent with being involved in a violent fight, according to the document.
Area resident Steve Adams said Saturday morning started unlike any other.
"We're quiet over here, mostly industrial; it's a good neighborhood,” he said. “I see a bunch of traffic going on, power popped off, so I came out to see what was happening.”
What was happening was the tail end of a shooting and the beginning of a murder investigation.
According to police officials, dispatch received a 911 hangup call around 7 a.m. from the area of 970 south 300 west.
Detective Dennis McGowan of the Salt Lake City Police Department said when officers arrived, they found a body and several people running from the scene.
“Police immediately began running or going after anyone that may have been involved because there was a shooting and a body on the sidewalk,” he said.
Investigators interviewed several witnesses from the scene and suspect there was a party or gathering at an upstairs apartment near where the body was found. According to the probable cause statement, a witness reported that she saw a violent fight between Valdez and the victim during the party. She said she saw Valdez with a handgun shooting in the parking lot. Security video taken from the scene shows Valdez firing a handgun on the sidewalk, according to documents.
Police said the victim is a man in his ‘30s who died from a gunshot wound to the forehead.
The murder weapon is a handgun, which police have recovered.
FOX 13 News will have more information as it becomes available.
