Magna man charged in connection with gang-related shooting at West Valley park

WEST VALLEY CITY — A Magna man is facing felony charges accusing him of firing multiple rounds at a group of teens during a gang-related shooting, injuring one.

Jonathan Torres Torres, 25, was charged Tuesday with shooting at a person causing injury, a second-degree felony; and three counts of illegal discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony.

On March 25, West Valley police responded to a report of shots fired at a park near 3200 South and 7000 West. Officers searching the area found an SUV with five teens inside. One 16-year-old boy had a small wound to his right arm. Detectives "confirmed that the wound to (his) arm was consistent with a bullet graze," according to charging documents.

Two teens riding scooters in the area told police "they observed 10 to 15 teenagers fighting. Both (teens) stated that one boy was being beat up while trying to get into a black passenger car," the charges state. As the witness went by the group, "they heard five gunshots and saw people running away."

The teen shooting victim later told police he was at a park to pick up his brother. Investigators say both the brother and Torres are active gang members "and that the altercation was gang-related. (Witnesses) confirmed that Torres had shot at them from the back seat of (a vehicle) as the vehicle fled the scene, and that he used an AR-style rifle," the charges say.

The vehicle the teens were in was hit at least three times, according to the charges.

"Victims stated they heard (Torres) stating he had an AR gun and to 'back off.' (He) then proceeded to shoot multiple times in the air and then at the ground, toward the victims, striking (the teens') vehicle three times and grazing (the victim's) arm before fleeing the scene," the charges state.

Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated the shooting happened near 3200 West and 7000 South.

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