Two people, including a 16-year-old, have been charged in the shooting death of a man outside a club in Salt Lake City — a killing that was apparently prompted when the victim bumped into one of the suspects.
Jaime Dirzo-Portugal, 22, of Salt Lake City, and Alex Ruiz-Martinez, 16, of Millcreek — who has been charged as an adult — each have been charged in 3rd District Court with murder, a first-degree felony.
According to police, on June 13 at about 1:30 a.m. they found Englandsienna Happy Valley Pauulu lying on the ground at 125 W. 300 South. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, and lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful. He died at the scene.
Police say a witness told them that he and Pauulu had just left the Echo nightclub at 134 Pierpont Ave. in downtown Salt Lake City, and were headed south when they walked by three males, and one of them “shoulder bumped” Pauulu. The two exchanged words and began to fight. The witness said that he saw one of the men hand a gun to another, and after he heard gunshots, he was attacked by the three males, who then ran back toward the club.
Police obtained dashcam video from a nearby car that “appeared to show” Pauulu crawling on the ground and collapsing and the three males attacking the witness before running off.
Another witness told police he went to the club with Dirzo-Portugal and Ruiz-Martinez, but that the 16-year-old stayed in the car until he and Dirzo-Portugal returned. As they were headed toward a parking lot to “meet some females,” Dirzo-Portugal “was involved in a confrontation” with Pauulu “after they bumped shoulders.” According to police, the witness said Dirzo-Portugal lifted his shirt to display a handgun in his waistband; Pauulu reached for the gun; and the two began to fight. At some point, the gun fell out of Dirzo-Portugal’s waistband, the witness said. He went on to say that Pauulu was “over the top” of Dirzo-Portugal and hitting him.
Dirzo-Portugal said, “Alex, shoot!” according to the witness, and the teenager “immediately” picked up the gun and shot the victim. The witness said that, after the shooting, Ruiz-Martinez said Pauulu “deserved to die.”
According to police, when Dirzo-Portugal was questioned, he admitted he fought with Pauulu and that Ruiz-Martinez shot him. He said he took the gun away from the teenager after the shooting and that “although he could not remember, he may have brought the gun to the scene.”
When Ruiz-Martinez was questioned, he “confirmed” that he shot Pauulu, according to police.
Both Dirzo-Portugal and Ruiz-Martinez are being held without bail.
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