SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City Police have announced the arrest of a suspect in last summer’s shooting death at the New Yorker nightclub in downtown Salt Lake City.
Police arrested 23-year-old Molitoni Vainuku for the June 4, 2023 shooting death of 22-year-old Halapain Moala.
“This arrest comes after a lengthy investigation,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown. “It marks a significant accomplishment of our Gang Unit and Homicide Squad and will certainly advance public safety in our city. The web of violence connected to this one case kept people in our community living in fear of retaliation. I hope that fear is now broken.”
This investigation started on Sunday, June 4, 2023, when SLC911 received multiple calls about a shooting at 60 West Market Street.
The first SLCPD officer arrived within a minute of the 9-1-1 call and found Moala on the ground in a nearby parking lot.
Moala died on scene.
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Since the shooting, the SLCPD’s Gang Unit worked closely with the SLCPD’s Homicide Squad to identify the shooter in this case. Detectives reassured community members that witness intimidation or witness tampering would not be tolerated. The SLCPD also launched crime suppression patrols in downtown and began a criminal investigation into the now-closed New Yorker nightclub.
On Friday, March 22, 2024, detectives assigned to the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Gang Unit received information about Vainuku being in West Valley City. Detectives knew Vainuku likely had access to firearms. As such, the SLCPD Gang Unit coordinated with the SLCPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) and SWAT Team.
While SLCPD coordinated tactical resources in West Valley City, Vainuku left his home and got into a car. VCAT detectives quickly and safely took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, detectives located a firearm.
Detectives booked Vainuku into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a single count of murder.
