2 shootings on same street keep police busy, raise concerns

WEST VALLEY CITY — A confrontation between two longtime rival gangs resulted in six arrests Friday and has investigators concerned about possible retaliation.

In addition, West Valley police were called out twice in 12 hours to investigate drive-by shootings on the same street.

About 12:30 a.m. police responded to a house near 3200 West and 2800 South. They arrived to find windows in the front of the house and in a nearby car broken out, said West Valley Police Lt. Bill Merritt. The officers recognized the apartment as belonging to a man known to be a member of Original Laotian Gangsters.

While on that call, the officers received word of shots fired at a fourplex on Lake Crest Drive, near 2550 South and 1800 West. The home was owned by the same gang member, Merritt said. No one was injured in the shootings.

While officers in an unmarked patrol car were interviewing the homeowner, a vehicle with six members of the Tiny Oriental Posse, OLG's longtime rival gang, drove up, apparently to look at the damage that had just been done, he said.

The men noticed the people sitting in the unmarked police car and started yelling at them, possibly believing they were rival gang members. But when two uniformed officers stepped out of the car, the men ran off, Merritt said.

Four of the fleeing men were rounded up immediately. The other two took off in a BMW but were spotted by an off-duty officer just getting off a part-time job and taken into custody, he said. A 9mm handgun was found in the vehicle. Investigators said a 9mm shell casing was found at the fourplex where the shots were fired. Tests were being conducted Friday to determine if the weapon was used in the shootings.

All six men were arrested for investigation of criminal mischief. One juvenile was also arrested for investigation of being a minor in possession of a weapon. One of the men also was arrested for investigation of being a restricted person in possession of a weapon.

Investigators weren't sure what sparked Friday's violence, but they were worried about possible retaliation.

Just 12 hours after those incidents, West Valley police responded to a second drive-by shooting on Lake Crest Drive, just a couple of homes away, Merritt said. No one was injured.

Witnesses gave police a description of the vehicle involved in the shooting and two occupants. Officers spotted the vehicle parked along the side of the road near 1900 West and 1250 North, and the occupants were apparently trying to clean it out, he said.

A gun was spotted inside the vehicle. Both men were arrested, and a search warrant was obtained for the rest of the car.

As of Friday afternoon, Merritt said it did not appear the shootings on Lake Crest Drive were related. He also did not know if the second shooting on the street was due to gang activity, although he said the home that was shot at belonged to documented gang members.

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