A Unified police vehicle is pictured in Kearns on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
KEARNS, Utah — The Unified Police Department is investigating a shooting in Kearns that killed one person. The shooting happened shortly after 8:00 p.m. at 5600 S. Impressions Drive.
UPD identified the victim in the shooting as 23-year-old Fernando Amaya-Higareda.
Unified Police Sergeant Melody Cutler says Amaya-Higareda stopped at Quarry Hill Circle, where he was approached by two male suspects. That’s when he was shot. The car rolled down to North Park. Cutler says the victim died from his wounds.
“We conducted an extensive search with assistance from other agencies as well as our K-9 units. Both suspects were subsequently taken into custody,” Cutler told KSL-TV.
Cutler says both suspects are a 16 and 17-year-old boys. Officers have recovered at least one firearm.
Cutler says the victim and the suspects apparently knew each other.
“We’re not exactly sure of the relationship between these two parties,” Cutler said. “This was not a random act, so we don’t have any reason to believe the public is at risk.”
Police say they don’t know if there’s any kind of gang involvement in the case.