Quinn Martinez's parents will tell you that since their son was 13 years old he's been in and out of trouble.
He has shoplifted and hung around with kids involved in gangs. Broken into cars. Stolen cars. And by age 17 had committed at least one aggravated burglary. In the past two years, he's been booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on nine different occasions and spent more than 200 days in jail."But we've never seen this kind of violence," his mother Susan Martinez said.
Quinn Martinez, 21, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Friday at 12:45 p.m. Friday for investigation of two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated burglary. All are first-degree felonies and carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Prosecutors could upgrade the murder charges to include a potential death penalty.
Sandy police believe Martinez is the man who opened fire at the Chevys Fresh Mex Restaurant Thursday night, killing two people and wounding three others in a burst of violence that started just before 9 p.m. and ended less than five minutes later.
With the help of the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit, Sandy police arrested Martinez about 12 hours later in a friend's home only a few blocks from where the shooting took place. Gang Unit Sgt. Paul Brenneman said Martinez was well known to detectives in the unit, because he associated with known gang members, and they were able to pinpoint some possible places where Martinez might have been hiding.
But police are still trying to determine just what caused Thursday night's outburst.
"From what witnesses have told us, a lot of his behavior is consistent with meth or some kind of drug use," Thacker said.
Police found drug paraphernalia in a motel room but were not specific about what was found. The gun that police believe was used in the shooting also was recovered. It had been tossed in bushes near the restaurant.
State probation officers had been looking for Martinez for more than a month, said Jack Ford, a spokesman for Adult Probation and Parole. The last contact officers had with Martinez was March 13, although records indicate there had been few problems with him. Officers already were in the process of getting a warrant to re-arrest Martinez, Ford said but were surprised by Thursday night's shootings.
"There were no red flags. He didn't have a violent past." Ford said. "We weren't really jumping on this, but we would have if the thinking had been that someone was going to get hurt."
Family members also said they had not seen or heard from Martinez in some time, family friend and spokesman Scott Swofford said.
"They haven't been in contact with him for several months. Of course they are frustrated and disturbed," he said. "Quinn has had some trouble before, but it's always been property crimes or robberies with fake guns in the past. This kind of violence, they didn't expect. They certainly have sympathy for all of the victims' families."
The first shot was aimed at Jamie Lucero, 23, West Jordan, described by police as Martinez's girlfriend. The couple was at the Extended Stay America motel, 7555 S. Union Park (1120 East), where Lucero said they argued. Lucero told police Martinez became angry when she refused to lend him her car, Sandy Police Sgt. Kevin Thacker said. Lucero was wounded in the leg. She was treated at Alta View Hospital and released to police.
Fleeing up the block to the restaurant, 7475 S. Union Park, the gunman shot Chevy's manager, Jason Rasmussen, 33, Salt Lake City, after Rasmussen told him the telephone he wanted to use wouldn't dial out, police say. Another restaurant employee, Josh Parker, also was wounded, but his injuries were not life threatening. He was listed in serious but stable condition at University Hospital Friday.
Outside in the parking lot, the armed man then pointed his small handgun at Peter Berg, 43, and his 12-year-old daughter, Whitney Berg, demanding the keys to Berg's car.
Berg told the man to take the car and threw his keys out of reach to distract the gunman's attention from Whitney. Angered, the man shot Berg once, yelling at Berg to get the keys, said Andre Malan, a friend and neighbor of the Berg family. Berg told the gunman to get the keys himself, and he was shot again.
"It's just vintage Pete, he's that way. He's always thinking about the other guy," Malan said.
In another car, driver Debbie Briggs also refused to hand over her red sport-utility vehicle and was shot in the chin, shattering her teeth. She managed to drive away, making it to a nearby Maverik convenience store for help. Briggs was listed in serious condition Friday at LDS Hospital.
Maverik clerk Jolene Parlette, 24, got a glimpse of the suspected gunman before he disappeared into the darkness. Frightened, but thinking quickly, Parlette locked the store's front door while others began administering first aid to Briggs. Then Parlette dialed 911.
"Everyone's been asking me what was going through my mind, but I don't really know. It basically scrambled my mind," said the woman who began her night shift at the job just two weeks ago. "I guess I was thinking if he was out there, he wasn't going to get me."
You can reach Jennifer Dobner at dobner@desnews.com and Derek Jensen by e-mail at djensen@desnews.com