OREM — Police spent Friday searching for a 19-year-old man who they believe shot and killed a 26-year-old man at an apartment complex near Utah Valley University late Thursday.
Dominique Barnett succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital, Orem police said. Detectives believe he confronted Elbert Paule, 19, at Paule's apartment after the two spoke on the phone, but little was said in person.
About 8 p.m., Paule allegedly fired a shotgun at Barnett in the breezeway of the Parkway Lofts Apartments, 1225 W. 1000 South, before dropping the weapon and taking off on foot, said Orem Police Lt. Trent Colledge.
Police don't know if Barnett was armed at the time of the shooting and were still trying to piece details together.
"The problem is, we have two individuals who know what took place. One is deceased and the other fled the scene," Colledge said.
Police believe the suspect and victim may know each other and the attack was not random.
The shooting prompted university officials to issue a "shelter in place" advisory for several hours Thursday and issue alerts to students as police searched for the gunman.
Erin Petersen, who lives in the complex, was among those unsettled by the shooting and the following manhunt. Police questioned her neighbors and searched through cars, she said.
Paule was last seen wearing yellow sweat pants and a dark sweatshirt. Orem police offered a reward Friday for information leading to his arrest.
According to court records, Paule was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia in January, convicted of misdemeanor drug possession in May 2018, and is scheduled to go to trial in April for charges out of Vernal. In December, Paule was arrested for investigation of failing to stop for a police officer, according to Utah County Jail records.
Anyone with information can call Orem Police at 801-229-7070.