Salt Lake police arrest man in shooting investigation
by Pat Reavy ksl · KSL.comKEY TAKEAWAYS
- Salt Lake police arrested Wilber Diaz Orosco in connection with an Aug. shooting incident.
- Diaz is accused of firing multiple rounds.
- Police used surveillance and License Plate Readers to identify and arrest Diaz.
SALT LAKE CITY — A man wanted in connection with a shooting investigation in Salt Lake City from August has been arrested.
Wilber Alexander Diaz Orosco, 28, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of two counts of discharge of a firearm and being a restricted person in possession of a gun.
On Aug. 31, a Salt Lake City police officer in the area of 650 W. South Temple "heard what he believed were two gunshots directly ahead of him," according to a police booking affidavit.
The officer then saw a vehicle crash into another vehicle. That vehicle then "sped towards the officer's vehicle and the officer reported hearing three to five more gunshots, the affidavit states.
The officer then chased after the fleeing vehicle.
"The vehicle traveled eastbound on South Temple, southbound on 600 West, and was later observed traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of traffic on 200 South before turning northbound on 500 West. Near 179 S. 500 West, I observed the Nissan Altima on the grass/property of City Creek Mall," a second police booking affidavit states.
Both men then ran from the vehicle but were ultimately arrested by police near 140 S. Rio Grande.
According to the new affidavit filed for Diaz's arrest, the two men in the fleeing vehicle told investigators that someone in the second vehicle had shot at them prior to their car smashing into it.
"Officers recovered a .38-caliber pistol and two matching shell casings on scene near the crash location," the affidavit states. "An independent witness also reported that she was in the area and observed the incident and said that someone from the (other) car was firing the gun."
Using license plate reader machines, detectives identified the other vehicle and its owner and then kept surveillance on him for several weeks, according to the affidavit. On Thursday, police arrested Diaz.
Police say Diaz is not in the United States legally and "has been detained and arrested by immigration officials before."
In the original incident on Aug. 31, Kevin Alonso Zamora, 23, was arrested for investigation of failing to stop for police, leaving the scene of an accident, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, driving on a denied license and running from police.
Fernando Luna Hernandez, 22, was arrested for investigation of running from police and having drug paraphernalia.
The affidavits do not mention any injuries or a possible motive for the shooting.
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