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HERRIMAN — A Herriman man is facing criminal charges accusing him of participating in a fight that ended with a 16-year-old being stabbed to death after a high school graduation last week.
Keith Tyree McClendon, 19, was charged Wednesday with aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury with a gang enhancement, a first-degree felony, and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.
The charges were filed in connection with what Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill called a "planned attack with weapons" on a 17-year-old boy identified only by the initials "E.D." after a high school graduation that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old identified only as "N.L." in charging documents.
On May 29, E.D., his mother, and an 18-year-old woman identified as A.S. attended the Valley High School graduation at RSL Academy. Police say A.S. had been receiving threatening text messages from unknown numbers.
The three people left the event and asked a South Jordan police officer to escort them to the mother's car. She then drove the teens to A.S.'s car near 14901 S. Beckenbauer Ave. when McClendon and three other males approached and started banging on the windows of both cars, according to the charges. McClendon allegedly had brass knuckles and a knife.
"E.D. then got out of A.S.'s car with a pipe but slipped, and (McClendon) allegedly started beating E.D. with brass knuckles," Gill said in a statement.
N.L., who was part of McClendon's group, jumped into the fight and was stabbed by E.D. in the chest, the charges state. Despite medical attention being provided, N.L. died at the scene.
E.D. was taken to the hospital for cuts and bruises on his face and a dislocated shoulder. It wasn't known Thursday whether charges have been filed against him.
Police said E.D. and McClendon had an ongoing dispute, and this was not the first time they had fought. McClendon was arrested on May 29.
McClendon "planned and solicited three people to attack the victim" and "arranged the attack to get revenge on the victim for a previous incident," the charges allege.
McClendon told police he texted three other males to help him fight E.D., including N.L. and Hunter John Armstrong, the charges say. Armstrong, 18, was arrested on May 30 for investigation of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury.
Prosecutors have asked that McClendon be held without bail.
