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Salt Lake City police arrest suspect in fatal shooting

Victim died Sunday morning of a single gunshot to the chest.

Police have arrested a man suspected of shooting and killing another man early Sunday morning in downtown Salt Lake City.

The 23-year-old suspect was taken into custody on Thursday, and booked into the Salt Lake County jail for investigation of murder and obstruction of justice. He is being held without bail.

According to a probable cause statement, the shooting took place at about 4 a.m. on Sunday in a parking lot at 128 West 300 South, between Pierpont Avenue and 300 South. Witnesses at the “large and chaotic” scene told police that the suspect had been in a fight with the victim — 35-year-old Anetone Simanu — in a parking lot, but that fight had “broken up” and the two men were separated. However, witnesses said, Simanu “approached [the suspect] a few moments later and wanted to engage in a one-on-one fight.”

The witnesses said the suspect pulled out a gun, cursed at Simanu and shot him once in the chest, according to the probable cause statement. He died at the scene.

The suspect was arrested without incident on Thursday at an apartment complex near 500 S. Redwood Road. The gun used in the shooting has not been located.

The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name suspects unless they have been charged with a crime.