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SALT LAKE CITY — A West Valley man is facing numerous charges for allegedly firing more than a dozen rounds into a Salt Lake City home, injuring a 55-year-old woman.
Sam Keith Maez-Ripley, 21, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with 14 counts of shooting in the direction of a person causing serious injury, a first-degree felony; and aggravated assault resulting in serious injury and possession of a gun by a restricted person, second-degree felonies.
On Aug. 10, at about 10:45 p.m., a 55-year-old woman was shot inside a house near Concord Street and California Avenue. The woman was taken to a local hospital with "serious but not life-threatening" injuries, according to Salt Lake police. Prosecutors say she was shot in the arm.
"Crime lab technicians responded to the scene and located fourteen .380 casings and four fired bullets. Defects and impacts from the bullets were found in various areas of the residence, indicating shots perforated the home's garage door, two windows and an interior door," according to charging documents. Six other people were also in the home at the time shots were fired.
Video recorded by a doorbell camera showed two men "walking across the backside of the home. One of the males can be seen holding a firearm in his right hand. Several seconds later, gunshots are heard on the video," the charges state.
On Aug. 12, Apisai Matelau, 19, turned himself in to police for his alleged role in the shooting, claiming he didn't know Maez-Ripley intended to shoot into the residence.
"As Maez-Ripley approached the residence's door, he began shooting. Matelau fled as gunfire rang out. Matelau stated that on the drive home, Maez-RIpley boasted about shooting a mother inside the residence," the charges state.
The shooting prompted the National Tongan American Society to issue a statement calling the incident "deeply troubling."
On Aug. 30, detectives with the Salt Lake City Police Department's gang unit located Maez-Ripley and arrested him.
