Salt Lake police seek looters in homicide investigation


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SALT LAKE CITY — Moments after a car crashed and rolled onto its hood, ejecting a man with a gunshot wound, between 15 to 30 people rushed to the vehicle.

But rather than offer help, the majority of people inexplicably started looting items, including the shooting victim's wallet, Salt Lake police detective Craig Wilking said.

Police have released surveillance video from the incident to try to recover the missing items believed to have been taken from the car, including two or three guns that detectives say are evidence in a homicide investigation.

On Sunday, Jesse Ray Rakes, 30, was found on the sidewalk at 550 W. 300 South with at least one gunshot wound to his hip, according to police. Rakes was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Nearby, a dark-colored vehicle he was in had rolled and come to rest on its hood following an apparent hit-and-run crash related to the shooting.

All of the looting occurred before police arrived at the scene.

Investigators believe the shooting was the result of a drug deal gone bad near the Rio Grande Depot.

Daniel Christopher Simon, 25, shot Rakes, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. However, Simon was only arrested for investigation of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.

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The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office will determine if the fatal shooting was self-defense or murder, according to Salt Lake police.

Simon and his girlfriend may have been the victims of an aggravated robbery attempt, according to a police report. Rakes and two other men are accused of robbing Simon at gunpoint.

Michael Sean Polk, 34, and Matthew Gordon Eyre, 35, were arrested for investigation of aggravated robbery.

Rakes, Polk and Eyre were in a car together trying to rob Simon and his girlfriend, who were in another car nearby, according to a report. Simon, however, pulled out a gun and shot Rakes, according to police.

Polk then tried to flee, but his car collided with Simon’s car, police said.

Anyone with information on the case can call police at 801-799-3000.

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Pat Reavy

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