By Tiffany DeMasters and Mark Green
SALT LAKE CITY -- A man was hospitalized and another was arrested after a shooting outside a Salt Lake City bar early Sunday morning, police officials said.
Police responded to reports of a shooting at Circle Lounge, 328 S State St., at approximately 1:30 a.m. Several individuals had gotten into an altercation at the club earlier that night and were asked to leave, said Lt. Scott White with Salt Lake City Police Department.
White said while people were leaving the restaurant someone reportedly pulled up in silver Mitsubishi Lancer and fired at least five shots into the crowd.
"That particular group was involved in something earlier, came back after the fact, after closing time, to again I guess seek their revenge," White said.
A 22-year-old man was shot in the calf. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to be OK.
Police tracked the vehicle to a unit at the Santa Fe Apartments on Fort Union in Cottonwood Heights, White said. Police later arrested Jaquel Pierre Lee and charged him with discharge of a firearm, which is a felony. He could also face aggravated assault and obstruction of justice charges.
According to police documents, the owner of the vehicle advised officers she knew why there were there and she initially told them she had dropped the shooter off immediately after leaving the scene. Witnesses had said there were four people in the car, and there were four people at the residence of the vehicle owner.
All four were taken in for questioning, and one later identified the shooter. According to court documents, Lee admitted to being in the club, "and it is visible that he was in a fight." A search of Lee's cell phone showed text messages of him admitting he'd fired two shots from a gun and asking his girlfriend to provide him with a pistol.
The name of the victim has not been released.
Not even two weeks ago, Salt Lake City Police responded to a similar incident at another club, Club One.
