Gang-related Midvale shooting injures 4

MIDVALE — A gang-related shooting early Saturday injured four people, including one man who needed surgery, and landed two other men in jail.

Several 911 calls came in shortly after midnight reporting gunshots in the area of 7940 S. Main, according to Midvale Police Sgt. Marcelo Rapela. Three men in their 30s had left a party at an apartment complex and were walking home when they were confronted by two other gang members.

The older men rebuffed the younger gang members, who were offended by this and pulled a sawed-off shotgun from a nearby car and fired one round at the trio, hitting one man in the back and causing superficial wounds to the other two men, Rapela said.

The injured man and his friends chased the two younger men into the breezeway of an apartment complex where the younger men lived, and the man who had been shot pulled out a handgun and fired back. A 30-second gun battle ensued, the sergeant said.

One of the younger men told his wife and a friend, who were inside their apartment, to flee. As they did so, a 15-year-old girl was shot in the foot.

Rapela said the shotgun had been stolen in a burglary several months ago.

The man who was shot in the back underwent surgery Saturday, and police plan to interview him later. Rapela said each of the two younger men confessed to firing the shotgun at intervals during the confrontation.

Julio Jiminez Sencio, 22, and Angela Delavega, 18, were arrested for investigation of possessing a stolen firearm and aggravated assault.

— Linda Thomson