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HERRIMAN — Police arrested a man on suspicion of aggravated assault and weapons charges after a car accident and a shooting was reported at the Emerson Apartments in Herriman Sunday night.
Witnesses of a car crash turned shooting told KSL-TV what they heard and saw overnight that police believe is gang-related.
"It was pretty crazy hearing the gunshots right below the window, and seeing the white car peel off from the scene, thinking, well, that's probably the people involved in it," said one witness who asked to be anonymous.
The witness said he called 911 when he walked out to find a black car had crashed into a fence surrounding the apartment complex pool.
He said he didn't see which car the shots came from. "I just saw the one person running in the black hoodie and three girls came up to the car window after the gunshots and looked in the car and screamed."
He said when police arrived about 15 minutes later, he saw the police mark shell casings on the ground, but no one seemed to be in the car. Police located three shell casings and live bullet, according to the probable cause affidavit.
"I talked to a police officer, told him they left on foot, running west from the car, and they took the K-9 and started looking for the suspect," the witness said.
A man and woman told police they were inside the black crashed car, according to the probable cause statement. The man and woman said 19-year-old Alejandro Palmar Romero was in the car with them when they were shot at.
Officers found him in the complex.
"I think everybody was pretty shaken up," a witness said.
Romero was one of several people detained. Police dispatch received a call about another incident in nearby Riverton. The driver and passenger in the car in Riverton say Romero shot at them with a BB gun, the court documents say.
The passenger was wounded in his shoulder, although it's unclear whether that was a bullet wound or caused by shrapnel, police said.
Herriman police said several people were detained. "The detained individuals gave conflicting statements regarding the sequence of events," according to the police statement.
Several neighbors told KSL they're not comfortable sharing their identity because police say this is gang-related.
"In areas where the gangs are more prevalent, people don't talk," a witness said. "People don't say anything. That's for a reason because people end up hurt."
People who live in the complex said they don't see incidents like this in the area, though they have seen more concerning incidents within the last year.
"Hopefully, it's not the start of what's going to be more around here," the witness said. "Hopefully it was just people in cars and ended up in this area, shooting."
It was not immediately clear what caused Romero's car to crash, but police seized both vehicles involved.
Romero told police he was being chased by people he didn't know. He said they crashed into the back of the car he was in, sending them into the fence. He said he didn't know who fired the shots.
Police wrote they believe he would likely flee if he were released because he is not here legally.
Romero was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, three counts of discharge of a firearm and being a restricted person in possession of a firearm.
Anyone who has additional information on the shooting can call Herriman police at 801-840-4000.
