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SALT LAKE CITY — As police continued to search Friday for the men responsible for a fatal shooting at a Salt Lake smoke shop, the memorial in front of the business grew.
Flowers and candles were placed in a makeshift memorial in front of CJ Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, on Friday. Two pictures of Steven Guadalupe Chavez, 26, were taped to the cinderblock exterior of the building, just a few feet away from where a bullet hole remained from Wednesday's tragic shooting.
Chavez, the son of the smoke shop store owner, was gunned down inside the store just before 8 p.m. after a gunman chased him from the parking lot to the inside of the store.
Several shots were fired. At least one went through the drywall and into an adjacent store's bathroom. The store was closed at the time and no one was inside.
The bullet hole went into the store wall and into a second adjacent wall. Part of the drywall was cut open Friday from where police searched for the slug.
Wednesday's shooting happened following a fight between Chavez and another man who was driving a four-door maroon vehicle — possibly an Oldsmobile Alero or Nissan Sentra — in the parking lot of the store.
After the confrontation, the man drove away, but returned in a second vehicle, a dark blue vehicle, possibly a 2001-2003 Honda, this time as the passenger. He got out and opened fire on Chavez, chasing him into the store.
The family has set up an account* for donations at Zion's Bank under the name Stephen Guadalupe Chavez.
Salt Lake police did not have any new details to release about the case Friday. Anyone with information about the alleged gunman or the two cars can call police at 801-799-3000 or send a text to CRIMES (274637) with the key word TIPSLCPD. All tips can remain anonymous.
*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
