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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who was shot by a West Valley police officer last week posted bail and has been released from the Salt Lake County Jail.
Even though Ricardo Jose Lopez, 26, of West Valley City, legally posted bail Monday, West Valley Police Chief Lee Russo expressed concerns about his release.
"We are highly concerned that this dangerous criminal is back out in the community," he said Wednesday.
Lopez was shot by a K-9 officer on March 1 in the area of 3300 West and 4060 South.
Prior to police arriving, Lopez was seen by neighbors with another man standing in the middle of the street, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. At one point, police say Lopez pulled out a gun and fired two rounds into the air, prompting neighbors to call 911.
As the men continued walking down the street, they got into an argument that turned into a fistfight, the report states.
When West Valley officers arrived, they spotted Lopez and "challenged" him before he was shot once. "Ricardo had a black handgun when he was shot," the report states.
Russo said he could not release more details about the circumstances that led to the shooting due to the ongoing investigation but noted that Lopez "made some very strong threats at the scene."
Because of that, the chief said steps have been taken to make sure the officers involved in the shooting are aware that Lopez is out of jail.
Lopez was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. He was well enough to be transferred from the hospital to the jail on March 3. He was arrested for investigation of possession of a weapon by a restricted person and illegal discharge of a firearm, but no official charges have been filed against him.
Police say Lopez is a documented gang member who goes by the moniker "Crooks." Bail was set at $35,000. Lopez was able to post it on Monday.
Salt Lake police were assigned to investigate the incident per Salt Lake County protocol that does not allow an agency to investigate its own officer-involved shootings. Police said Wednesday the case is still under investigation and they plan to discuss possible charges with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office sometime in the future.
Lopez also faces an assault charge, a class B misdemeanor, in Salt Lake City Justice Court for an unrelated incident in 2015, according to court records. He pleaded no contest to a similar charge in 2014. In 2008, Lopez was convicted of charges related to a stolen vehicle and a chase with police, and he was sentenced to up to five years at the Utah State Prison.
