SLC Police: Man arrested in fatal Sugar House party shooting
Aug 29, 2021, 11:17 PM | Updated: Oct 30, 2023, 12:42 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a shooting that left one person dead in the Sugarhouse area.
Authorities said Levon Garo Meguerditchian was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Saturday night for investigation of murder, obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm in the direction of a vehicle.
The incident began around 4 a.m. Saturday when officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department responded to the area of 600 East and Wilmington Avenue after receiving reports of a shooting.
“The initial responding officers did not find any signs of a shooting, did not find a shooting victim, and did not observe a crime scene. As such, officers closed the call and left the area,” read a press release from the SLCPD.
Update: This is a homicide investigation. Crime Lab technicians are on scene and detectives are responding. We continue to ask everyone to avoid the area. All street closures remain in place. Media staging is located at 2237 S. 600 East. The PIO is on scene. #SLC #SaltLakeCity
— Salt Lake City Police (@slcpd) August 28, 2021
Police learned later that Meguerditchian was hosting a party at his home in the Sugar House neighborhood.
During that time, a group of people at the party allegedly stole a bottle of alcohol and ran.
That’s when police said Meguerditchian allegedly pulled out a gun and fired several shots towards the vehicle that 18-year-old Abdourazak Mouhomed was driving.
After the car was shot at, it crashed into two homes along 600 East.
Police said neither homeowner heard the crash and no 911 calls were made.
Around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Salt Lake City Police received a call about a person that had a weapon at Meguerditchian’s home.
When officers arrived on scene, they found Mouhoumed inside the crashed car with a gunshot wound.
They immediately began life-saving efforts, but police said Mouhoumed died on scene.
While responding to the weapon call, “SLCPD officers received information about a 17-year-old who was reportedly held hostage after being assaulted inside Meguerditchian’s residence,” the press release continued.
A SWAT team was then called out.
During their search, police said they were able to find the 17-year-old, adding that she “had been physically assaulted, but the injuries are not life-threatening.”
Authorities said Meguerditchian, and possibly others, allegedly used a flashlight to search for shell casings after the shooting took place.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call police at 801-799-3000.
