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SANDY — A 14-year-old boy shot along with a 13-year-old friend in Sandy told police he feared something like that might happen because of the way he was dressed.
On April 16, the two boys had just gotten off a TRAX train at the Historic Sandy Station and were walking along 8800 South near 200 East when a white or silver Volkswagen Jetta pulled up. One of the occupants of the vehicle asked the boys, "Where you from?" according to charging documents.
Tyson C. Rocco, 18, of Salt Lake City, then fired three shots at the boys, charging documents state. The 14-year-old was shot in the upper thigh and ankle, the 13-year-old in the right hand, the charges state.
The boys ran into the yard of a nearby daycare "screaming 'I've been shot' over and over," and went behind a chicken coop, according to the charges. Their injuries were not life-threatening.
On Friday, Rocco was charged in 3rd District Court with three counts of shooting someone causing serious injury. The charges are all subject to gang enhancement penalties, making them first-degree felonies, according to court documents.
Rocco has "gang ties and known involvement" with gang members, the charges state. The 14-year-old is a "known associate" of a rival gang, according to the charges. When interviewed by police, the boy said "he knew something like this might happen because he was dressed 'banged out,'" which means he was dressed in gang attire, the charges state.
Several witnesses informed police of the Volkswagen speeding off after the shooting. One resident had taken a picture of the suspicious car that was parked outside his home and contacted police. The witness said there were three males in the car, all of them had their hoodies pulled up, were wearing ball caps, and had bandanas over their faces, the charges state. Two of the bandanas were black, the third was red.
After the shooting, Rocco called his sister and "told her he was in trouble and going to prison," according to the charges. The sister told her father, who then saw a news report about the double shooting and contacted police believing his son was involved, the charges state.
The father called Rocco who "explained he was in trouble with the police" but did not want to talk about it over the phone, according to the charges. Police then called Rocco who agreed to turn himself in.
It was not known Friday if the other two people in Rocco's car have been identified.
