Man arrested after firing shots, hiding in elderly woman’s home, Salt Lake police say

SALT LAKE CITY — Police found a man who had been hiding in a home near Rose Park Elementary hours after a shooting on Sunday afternoon.

Police say the man fired numerous shots in a residential neighborhood and entered the home of an elderly woman without permission while trying to avoid arrest.

Angel Tinajero, 22, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of kidnapping and burglary of a dwelling, two counts of aggravated assault, use of a firearm by a restricted person and four counts of felony discharge of a firearm.

Officers responded to a shooting at 11:15 a.m. Police said they found Tinajero attempting to break into a vehicle near 1000 North and American Beauty Drive. When they arrived, the victim confronted Tinajero, and Tinajero began shooting toward the victim, according to a police booking affidavit.

Police say the bullet narrowly missed the victim and hit a home.

At that point, Tinajero got into a vehicle and drove south on American Beauty Drive and then west on Sterling Drive. The victim followed Tinajero, who turned and fired three more shots toward the victim, the affidavit states.

Officers then began an extensive search of the neighborhood, with help from SWAT, patrol officers, the K-9 squad and Salt Lake police drones. During the incident, police restricted access to streets around Rose Park Elementary, and people living on the street were asked to stay inside.

Police said video surveillance showed Tinajero had entered a garage, and they were able to locate him exiting a home on Sterling Drive and walking down the driveway at about 2 p.m.

An elderly woman living at that home said she was sitting on her couch when he broke into her home and was acting strange. Tinajero held the woman in the home and told her not to call police, according to the affidavit.