SALT LAKE CITY — A man is dead and two suspects are still on the run Friday after a stabbing in the Ballpark neighborhood the day before.
Salt Lake City Police responded to the Palmer Court housing complex near 1000 S. Main Street on Thursday at 3:43 p.m.
When they arrived, they found 34-year-old Charles Alires in critical condition after being stabbed. Despite trying to render medical aid, Alires died at the scene.
This marked the first homicide in the Ballpark neighborhood this year, the second in Salt Lake City.
Sheyenne and Sara Johnson are related to Alires through their Navajo clan.
"He wouldn't hurt a fly," Sheyenne said. "Walking in a room, just him saying hi and the first thing you would see was his smile."
Sara spoke about how well-rounded Alires was.
"He's just a wonderful guy. He was always out to help the community; he was always about our culture," Sara said.
Sara says she used to participate in Little Feathers, an education program for Native Utahns in the Granite School District. She says Alires and one of his friends tutored kids in the program.
"He's hit a lot of hearts with our kids and stuff like that," Sara said.
That's why it's hard for the Johnsons to hear what happened to Alires on Thursday.
"Not being able to see him again is going to be hard for everybody," Sheyenne said.
Right now, police say they have no information to indicate the stabbing was a random incident.
On Friday, they announced they were looking for two men in connection with the stabbing.
43-year-old Taddy Avalon Jackman and 26-year-old Ivy Chase Grant are both wanted by officials, as the investigation continues.
"It shouldn't have happened, and we are kind of wondering why it happened," Sara said.
Police are asking anyone with any information on the stabbing or the whereabouts of either man to call 801-799-3000 and reference case number 23–23556.
The Alires family has set up a GoFundMe to help with burial expenses.
