WEST VALLEY CITY — A woman and her three children were not injured after an alleged gang member fired several rounds of ammunition at her vehicle in what investigators believe was an unprovoked drive-by shooting.
Just after 10 p.m. Thursday, a 58-year-old woman was with her three children when a man driving a vehicle with three others inside, all of them documented gang members, fired six rounds at her, said West Valley Police Lt. Bill Merritt.
One shot hit the radiator, but the others missed, he said.
A West Valley officer happened to be nearby, in the area of 3700 South and 4000 West, when he heard the gunshots and then saw a vehicle drive past him at a high rate of speed. The officer followed the vehicle until backup officers got into position, and he then pulled it over.
Police found ammunition and a holster, but no gun, Merritt said.
One person inside the car eventually admitted the gun was tossed out the window when the group saw the police following them. Investigators retraced their steps and were able to find the weapon, and they learned it was stolen out of Salt Lake City a few weeks ago.
Although the four in the car were determined to be gang members, the woman they shot at did not have any gang affiliation, Merritt said.
"We don't know what the motivation was. We don't know if it was mistaken identity or racial or what," he said.
Justin Espinoza, 27, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of attempted homicide. four counts of aggravated assault, obstruction of justice, six counts of committing a drive-by shooting, and a restricted person in possession of a firearm, all felonies.
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