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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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 — A man originally arrested for investigation of being a restricted person in possession of a gun following a double shooting at a rodeo near Utah Lake is now facing more serious charges.
Cesar Matias Sevilla-Aleman, 25, of Orem, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with attempted murder and discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; aggravated assault, possession of a forgery device, third-degree felonies; and giving false information to an officer, a class C misdemeanor.
On Sept. 4, a rodeo was being held at Lincoln Beach on the west side of West Mountain near the town of Genola. Sevilla-Aleman shot one man in the stomach at close range, according to charging documents. The bullet traveled through that man and hit a second man in the arm. The man shot in the stomach was treated for critical injuries, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
Sevilla-Aleman drove away from the rodeo with his girlfriend but was spotted by Springville police who pulled him over. He gave them a false name with a fake ID card, according to the charges. But he was later identified by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who noted that Sevilla-Aleman had been deported in 2020. He also currently has a warrant out for his arrest in Colorado.
Investigators collected cellphone videos from people attending the rodeo that showed Sevilla-Aleman as the gunman, according to the charges, and several videos showed him carrying two guns. He was originally arrested for investigation of two counts of being a person in possession of a firearm.
But detectives were later able to interview the victim who was originally targeted.
"The victim stated Aleman kept trying to pick a fight with him. The victim stated he kept ignoring him and talking with his friends. This is when Aleman told the victim he had a gun and would kill him. Aleman then pulled a gun from his waistband, pointed it at the victim and pulled the trigger," according to a police booking affidavit.
"Cellphone footage from security on scene and other rodeo attendees shows the area where the shooting occurred as a highly populated area with hundreds of people in a small area. The suspect pulled a gun and fired it with no regard for the safety of any of the hundreds of people in the area," the affidavit alleges.
The sheriff's office also noted that the rodeo organizers did not obtain a permit to host the event and alcohol was being sold without a license. The investigation into those violations is continuing.
