SALT LAKE CITY — The new attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah was charged Tuesday for allegedly shooting at a car that his children and ex-wife were in, according to police.
Aaron Kinikini was charged in 3rd District Court with two counts of discharge of a firearm and aggravated kidnapping, both third-degree felonies; and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of children, a class B misdemeanor.
Prosecutors have requested Kinikini be held in the Salt Lake County Jail on no bail.
On Tuesday, the ACLU of Utah issued a short statement that simply said: “Aaron Kinikini is no longer employed by the ACLU of Utah.”
Salt Lake City police responded Friday to a domestic violence call near Kinikini’s home. An officer who was on another call nearby could hear shots being fired, according to charging documents.
Kinikini’s ex-wife told police that she had gone to his house to pick up their three children, ages 13, 12 and 3, but Kinikini did not want her to take them, the charges state. Kinikini stood in the driveway to prevent her from backing out, according to charging documents.
The ex-wife was able to back up enough that she could pull forward and turn her car around in the driveway, the charges state. Kinikini then ran to the front of the car and “let air out of her tires,” the charges state.
“She stated that (Kinikini) then pulled a gun out of a holster under his shirt and pointed it at the car and fired a round into the front tire,” according to the charges. “She kept driving and he fired another round into the back tire.”
The ex-wife continued to try and drive away but her tires were now flat, the charges state, and she was forced to pull over.
When police talked to Kinikini, he admitted blocking his ex-wife’s car for five minutes and then “pretended to be hurt by saying that she ran over his foot,” according to the charges. “He admitted he knew it was a mistake to shoot a firearm at any vehicle.”
Investigators collected two .45-caliber shell casings near the driveway and a handgun inside the house that had the hammer in the cocked position and was loaded with five rounds, the charges state.
Kinikini was arrested one day after the ACLU issued a press release welcoming him as its new attorney.
Kinikini is a graduate of the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, according to the release, and served most recently as the legal director at the Utah Disability Law Center and is an active member of the Utah State Bar.
The news release touts Kinikini’s legal career, noting he had “a proven track record of active and innovative civil rights litigation on behalf of clients of all ages.”
Kinikini’s Twitter account says he is a father of five. Kinikini’s ex-wife filed for divorce in 2014, according to court records.