SALT LAKE CITY — Two men who had been arguing throughout the night over little things like a watch and cigarettes culminated with one man fatally shooting the other, according to prosecutors.
Ashish Biswa, 24, of South Salt Lake, was charged Friday in 3rd District Court with murder and two counts of firing a gun causing serious injury, both first-degree felonies; and two counts of possession of a weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
On the night of March 12, several men went to a nightclub together, including Biswa and 26-year-old Mostafa Hossein.
“During the evening, Mostafa and Biswa had several different arguments. They argued over a watch Biswa was wearing, and another time over cigarettes,” according to charging documents.
After leaving the nightclub, Hossein and others drove Biswa to his apartment, 455 E. 2250 South, early on the morning of March 13. The group hung out in the parking lot drinking beer and Biswa showed off a gun he had, the charges state.
While they were sitting in the car, Biswa and Hossein got into an argument again, so the others got out, according to the charges. After one man stepped out, he immediately heard gunshots.
“He saw that Mostafa had been shot and was lying on the ground next to the car. Biswa then fled the scene,” according to the charges.
Investigators were able track down Biswa, who got onto a TRAX train, and arrested him as he got off at another stop.
An autopsy determined Hossein was shot three times, with the third shot killing him, the charges state.
According to a police affidavit, Biswa “has a very extensive criminal history, including robbery, burglary, failure to stop at the command of police, aggravated robbery, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. (Biswa) is on felony probation.”
He was arrested and charged for two weapons-related incidents in 2020. According to court records, he pleaded guilty in August to robbery and possession of a weapon by a restricted person, but he was given a suspended prison sentence and placed on probation. Another case filed about the same time charging him with aggravated robbery was dismissed as part of a plea deal.