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HERRIMAN — A second man has been arrested in connection with a deadly confrontation in Herriman that resulted in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy on Wednesday.
Hunter John Armstrong, 18, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Thursday for investigation of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury. He joins Keith Tyree McClendon, 19, who was arrested for investigation of the same charge on Wednesday.
Police say McClendon and a 17-year-old boy "had an ongoing rivalry against each other." On Wednesday, he "hunted down and attacked" that 17-year-old boy and "recruited" three others to help him, including Armstrong and a 16-year-old boy, identified only by his initials, N.L., who was fatally stabbed during the confrontation, according to a police booking affidavit, .
Herriman police say McClendon's group went to the Valley High School graduation ceremony happening nearby at the Zions Bank Stadium looking for the 17-year-old boy just before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday with the intent of assaulting him.
"Keith also admitted to bringing brass knuckles to use against (the boy), which were later located," the affidavit states.
"There have been ongoing and documented issues between these persons, with this being at least the third similar fight between them within the past year," police said.
McClendon and his group spotted the 17-year-old in a Herriman neighborhood near Solo Street (14990 South and 3600 West). The teen was in a car with an 18-year-old woman. McClendon approached the car and began attacking the teen "by striking him with the brass knuckles," the affidavit states. The 17-year-old boy "was struck multiple times in the face, head and body."
The teen also sustained a "knife wound to his face," police said, while the woman had an undisclosed injury to her hand.
While the assault was happening, Armstrong stood in front of the car, preventing the 17-year-old boy from leaving, an arrest report states,
"Even though at this time Hunter has not been accused of participating in the physical attack on (the boy), he did conspire with Keith and others to assist in the attack and make sure it happened. His actions were quite severe as one of the attackers sustained a mortal stab wound during this incident," police wrote in the affidavit.
At some point during the assault, N.L. was stabbed and died, police say.
Based on information collected from witnesses at the scene, officers went to a Riverton residence.
"Due to the nature of this incident and the history of the persons believed to have been involved, including weapons history, the South Valley SWAT team was called to the scene," police said.
The SWAT team surrounded the home and ordered people to come out. A 15-year-old boy and his 48-year-old mother, who were "determined to have been directly involved in the incident," were detained, according to police. Two others — the 17-year-old boy and 18-year-old woman who were allegedly involved in the fight — were taken by family members to an area hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.
Police say the investigation is still ongoing as of Thursday and officers are working with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office to determine what charges might be filed and against how many people.
