Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
GENOLA, Utah County — Two men were shot late Sunday during a rodeo event at Utah Lake, police said, and evidence suggests both men were hit by the same shot.
The shooting happened at an arena at 6767 Lincoln Beach Road on the west side of West Mountain near the town of Genola, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said. Police were called about 9 p.m. Sunday.
One of the men was shot in the lower abdomen and one was shot in the arm. The man shot in the abdomen, described only as in his mid-20s, was taken to a hospital in critical condition and made it through surgery early Monday, Cannon said. After surgery, he remained in critical condition.
The 25-year-old man shot in the arm was in fair condition.
Several witnesses gave descriptions of the man they thought was the shooter, a woman who was with him, and the car they were driving when they left the scene.
Police said there were "several thousand people" at the rodeo and dance event, and almost all of them began to leave immediately after the shooting. A deputy spoke to the man and woman in their car as they were leaving, but the deputy did not yet know the description of the suspected shooter.
The suspected shooter's vehicle was found later and the man and woman were taken into custody, police said.
Cesar Matias Sevilla-Aleman, 25, of Orem, was taken into custody in connection to the shooting, Cannon said. He has a warrant for his arrest out of Denver for failure to appear on a weapons offense, and is currently awaiting extradition to Colorado. He is also being held based on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold, according to the sergeant.
The 45-year-old woman who was with Sevilla-Aleman was released, although police said she may be charged later.
Investigators do not yet know if the shooter and the two men who were shot knew each other.
"The primary concern in this incident is the well-being of the two victims who were shot," the Utah County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Monday.
Police say organizers of the event are also being investigated for permit violations, as they did not have a permit for the rodeo and alcohol was being sold without a license.
Contributing: Karah Bracken
