Teen killed in Sugarhouse shooting; suspect loose

May 2024 · 2 minute read

UPDATE: The victim has been identified by police as J’kye Lovell Ray Watkins who died in the hospital shortly after this story was published. Police stated that Watkins’ death marks the thirteenth homicide in Salt Lake City in 2023.

SUGARHOUSE, Utah — An 18-year-old man was critically injured by gunshot wounds early Sunday morning. Police have not found a suspect and are asking for any public information to be relayed.

Early Sunday morning at 1:34 a.m., several 9-1-1 calls were made about a shooting in front of a Walgreens at 909 E. 2100 S.

The victim was lying on the pavement in extremely critical condition when police arrived. They immediately began assisting with life-saving efforts and the victim was rushed by paramedics to the hospital.

Detectives shut down surrounding roads to search for any suspects. Witnesses said one or possibly more suspects left in a car but didn’t see where it was going.

There was a fight that broke out just before the shooting, but officers are unsure if the two events are related. Police said there is no immediate threat to the public.

Investigators believe there were multiple witnesses that left the scene of the shooting before police arrived, and they are urging those people to come forward so they can piece together the timeline of events.

All information related to the shooting, or the events surrounding it can be relayed to detectives at 801-799-3000.

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