Salt Lake City police announced Friday that prosecutors have now charged a third teen in connection with a deadly drive-by shooting last June, which unfolded during a high school graduation party.
Sean Amone, 20, was killed in the shooting, and four others were seriously wounded, police have said.
Prosecutors first charged a 15-year-old boy in connection with the case last year. He turned himself in two days after the June 6, 2021 shooting. The charge or charges the child faces have not been released. He told police that he and others planned to do the drive-by shooting at that party, court records state.
A second suspect, Felix Issara, 19, was charged last month with a second-degree felony count of obstruction of justice in connection with the case. He is suspected of driving the car and hiding the gun used in the shooting, charging documents state.
Salt Lake County prosecutors charged the third suspect, a 16-year-old boy, in connection with the case last month, police announced Friday. Police did not release any details about what charge or charges the child is facing.
Shots fired into a group of people
The drive-by shooting happened around 1:40 a.m. that June day. A group of people attending a high school graduation party were standing outside a house near 1530 North General Drive when a car passed by and someone opened fire into the group.
Five people were hit. Amone died at the scene. The four others were hospitalized, police have said.
One of the victims told police that he and his friends had been at a graduation dance near Trolley Square earlier in the night but left when a fight broke out and someone fired a gun. From there, he went to Amone’s house. A few minutes after he arrived, he said a white vehicle passed by. It returned shortly afterward and shots rang out.
The victim said the shots happened “really fast” and lasted “a long time, maybe 5-10 seconds.” A bullet went through his right hip, breaking his femur. Other victims suffered major injuries to their internal organs. One was shot in the leg and hand, court records state.
The victims included two recent graduates of West High School and older graduates of West and Highland high schools.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) On June 6, 20-year-old West High School graduate Sean Amone was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in front of his home. Four close friends were also struck by bullets as they tried to flee including Liki Makaui, Justin Mounga and Floyd Nau, from left, who suffered severe injuries. Missing their dear friend they gathered at the scene of the crime surrounded by friends and family on the day Sean would have turned 21 on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021.
Still an ‘active’ investigation
Investigators believe the reported gunfire at the earlier dance was connected to the drive-by shooting at the party, court records state.
Issara, the 19-year-old, was booked into Salt Lake County jail on Feb. 25. He remains in custody without the option of bail.
Police said Friday that the 16-year-old recently charged in connection with the case was initially arrested July 13, 2021 in connection with an unspecified, “unrelated matter.” During that investigation, police and prosecutors found evidence to charge him in the shooting case.
The department said it considers this shooting investigation “active.” They declined to released any additional information about the case.
Anyone with information about the shooting may leave a tip by calling Salt Lake City police at 801-799-3000 and referencing case number 21-96966.