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Police ID victim in Sugar House shooting

Posted at 3:34 PM, Jan 26, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-26 20:21:11-05

SALT LAKE CITY -- Salt Lake City police released new information surrounding a shooting in Sugar House Saturday night that left one man dead and another in critical condition.

The shooting happened near Highland Drive and Parkway Avenue.

Police have identified the victim as Christian McDonald, 24, of West Valley City.

“Horrific -- it’s just horrific,” said Amanda Darger, McDonald’s sister.

According to Salt Lake City police, there was another man, and acquaintance of McDonald’s, also shot Saturday night.

He was in the hospital in critical condition.

“We actually had two people that were shot that we didn’t know at first because the second male actually transported himself to the hospital,” said Robin Heiden, spokeswoman for Salt Lake City police.

McDonald was pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital.

Darger said she learned of her brother’s death from a hysterical call from her sister that night.

“It was probably the fourth or fifth time coming out of her mouth that it registered what she was saying. All I could understand was, ‘he’s been shot, he’s dead, you need to come over here,’” Darger said.

Darger said police haven’t told her family much.

Police say it’s still early in the investigation and whether charges will be filed remains unknown.

“It’s always a possibility, but I’m not sure,” Heiden said about potential charges. “That’s going to be something detectives work through and to see what the motive was. It all depends on what was going on and who shot who first. There are a lot of factors that will weigh into the investigation.”

Darger said she is close with all of her siblings and no one knows what McDonald was doing in Sugar House the night he was killed.

McDonald was a window washer with no criminal record or drug habits, according to his family.

“He was my little brother. Probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. I can’t remember a time that if I ever asked him for help that he wasn’t here within half an hour to help me,” Darger said.