Salt Lake man charged with murder, accused of gunning down man downtown
Oct 15, 2024, 10:16 PM
A Salt Lake City Police car on scene of a homicide investigation near 200 South State Street on Oct. 5, 2024 (Salt Lake City Police Department)
(Salt Lake City Police Department)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man accused of gunning down another man in the downtown area, shooting him multiple times after he was already on the ground, is now facing more than a dozen felony criminal charges.
Farshad Baesmat Hassan-Pouri, 49, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with murder and three counts of firing a gun causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; four counts of firing a gun causing injury, a second-degree felony; and seven counts of illegally firing a gun, a third-degree felony.
On Oct. 5, Hassan-Pouri was walking with 30-year-old Gage Barrows outside a Maverik store at 185 S. State.
“Both parties appear to be agitated, as if arguing,” police observed in surveillance video collected after the shooting, according to charging documents. Police say Hassan-Pouri then pulled out a gun and fired multiple rounds at Barrows.
“(Barrows) is struck by several rounds and is staggering, dropping a black bag and attempting to flee northbound along State Street. Hassan-Pouri disengages briefly, but then turns around and again pursues (Barrows),” the charges allege.
After running through the parking lot of the store, Barrows collapses in the video.
“Hassan-Pouri catches up to (Barrows) there and fires additional rounds directly into (him) at point blank range as (Barrows) is lying on the ground,” according to charging documents.
Fifteen shell casings were recovered at the scene by police. An autopsy determined that Barrows was struck eight times.
“All bullets had a downward angle and (Barrows) had at least four fatal wounds,” the charges say. “Additionally, stray bullets struck a food delivery truck … missing the driver.”
Salt Lake police located and arrested Hassan-Pouri shortly after the shooting.
