OGDEN, Utah — A man was arrested for murder and kidnapping in Ogden Saturday after allegedly shooting an individual during an altercation at a local mall.
According to a probable cause statement released by police, Octavio Efrain Estrada-Mendez, his young son and his girlfriend were shopping at the mall in Ogden, when a verbal altercation occurred with an individual.
Estrada-Mendez allegedly told the individual they could “take this outside,” and proceeded to exit the mall. Both parties exited the mall separately. When the two met in the parking lot, the statement said that Estrada-Mendez pulled out a handgun and shot the victim in the upper torso. He then allegedly got into the driver’s seat of his girlfriend’s car while she was strapping their son in.
In an interview with police, Estrada-Mendez’s girlfriend said that while climbing into the truck, he said “I’m sorry,” and drove away with her and her son in the car.
During the alleged deadly shooting, a detective with the Ogden Police Department heard a gunshot and saw Estrada-Mendez fleeing in his girlfriend’s truck. The detective began to pursue the truck, and additional patrol vehicles joined the chase. The probable cause statement said that during the pursuit, Estrada-Mendez made many dangerous maneuvers and drove against traffic multiple times.
“Octavio ultimately stopped the vehicle in the 1100 block of 23rd St. and exited the vehicle,” the probable cause statement said. A short foot pursuit ensued, but police were eventually able to take him into custody.
A search warrant was obtained for the truck. Police said they found 217 grams of marijuana and 31 grams of methamphetamine as well as a digital scale in a black backpack and a 9 mm handgun under the front seat of the vehicle. During an interview with police, Estrada-Mendez’s girlfriend allegedly stated that the backpack belonged to her boyfriend, and he had tossed the handgun to her during the pursuit, which she pushed to the floor of the truck.
Estrada-Mendez was arrested and booked for murder, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of distributing a controlled substance, one count of transaction of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of endangerment of a child or elderly adult and two counts of failure to stop at command of law enforcement.
