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SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of opening fire on police officers who were investigating reports that he was making threats in the area has been charged with attempted murder.
Police were able to locate the documented gang member, who goes by the moniker "Foolish," by tracking the GPS ankle monitor he was wearing as a condition of his parole.
Jose Fonseca, 27, of West Valley City, was charged in 3rd District Court Monday with two counts of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; three counts of assault against a peace officer, a second-degree felony; and one second-degree felony count of possession of a firearm by a restricted person.
He is also facing six counts of aggravated assault and nine counts of discharging a firearm, all third-degree felonies.
Police believe the May 29 shooting was gang-related.
According to charging documents, Fonseca went to the neighborhood near 1071 W. Wenco Dr. looking for a man, but found his younger brother instead. As Fonseca asked after the man, the brother and a friend told police he kept his hand near his waistband where the handle of a gun was visible.
The two men said Fonseca told them "bad things" were going to happen to them if they didn't tell him where to find the brother, the charges state.
Seeing what was happening from a nearby window, a sister of the two brothers called police. The woman was on the phone with police when Fonseca grabbed her brother's arm and briefly tried to pull him toward his vehicle before he broke free, according to the charges.
Related:
Police: Man in custody after firing at officers responding
A parolee was arrested after police say he threatened a man and fired at officers.The woman, her brother and his friend headed for a relative's home as Fonseca drove away in his black four-door sedan, still holding the gun, they told police.
Four Salt Lake police officers were on the scene interviewing the group and other witnesses when the black car returned, cruising slowly past Wenco Drive, charges state. The lead officer reported hearing a pop and the whistling of a bullet flying past him, followed by pops from more gunshots. The car fled before officers could get closer.
One officer's body camera recorded nine gunshots fired, according to the charges. No one was injured in the shooting.
At the time of the incident, Fonseca was on parole and was wearing a GPS ankle monitor, police said. Data from the ankle monitor confirmed Fonseca was on Wenco Drive at the time of the shooting.
Officers then used the ankle monitor to track Fonseca to a house in West Valley City, where the black Mazda 6 he had been driving was located and Fonseca was arrested, charges state.
Fonseca told police that he was on Wenco Drive that day but denied involvement in the shooting.
According to state court records, Fonseca pleaded guilty in 2007 to attempted murder and discharging a firearm from a vehicle, both second-degree felonies. He was sentenced to serve a year in jail.
Fonseca has also been convicted of third-degree felony joyriding, and a second-degree felony for possessing a dangerous weapon as a restricted person.
