SOUTH SALT LAKE — An Orem man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly shooting another man three times.
Auston Charles Hatch, 25, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Sunday for investigation of five counts of discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, and theft by receiving stolen property.
About 10:30 p.m. Saturday, a 44-year-old man was shot three times near 800 W. TImber Creek Way (3875 South) in South Salt Lake, according to police. The man, whose name has not been released, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
Witnesses told police that Hatch arrived at the apartment to pay a debt he owed to the victim, but the two ended up getting into an argument and then a fight, according to a police affidavit.
“The fight escalated when Austin pulled out a gun and shot the victim multiple times. There was a total of five bullets spent from the handgun,” the affidavit states.
Hatch was also shot in his left arm during the confrontation, police say.
Officers seized Hatch’s vehicle and reported finding two guns inside, including one that was listed as stolen.
Hatch “has a lengthy criminal history,” police noted in the affidavit. According to court records, he is currently facing charges of theft and drug possession in Utah County. His next court hearing in that case is scheduled for Feb. 3.
In 2017, Hatch was convicted of theft and trespassing and sentenced to up to five years in the Utah State Prison, according to court records.