'Showtime,' woman calmly says before shooting ex-husband, according to prosecutors

SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City woman accused of shooting her ex-husband at an indoor playground business allegedly because of an on-going custody dispute has been charged with attempted murder.

Sarah Huda Elias, 34, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with attempted murder and two counts of shooting and gun and causing serious injury, first-degree felonies; and four counts of committing domestic violence in the presence of a child, a third-degree felony.

On May 22, Salt Lake City police were called to Kids Empire, 1082 S. 300 West, regarding a custodial interference investigation.

"Upon arrival, an employee with Kids Empire ran out saying that a male had been shot inside the facility," according to charging documents. Matthew Daniel Elias, 37, was rushed to a local hospital.

When detectives spoke to an employee of the business, they learned that Sarah Elias often goes to the playground with her children, ages 5 and 3. On this day, the employee says she overheard Elias having a contentious conversation on the phone with someone whom the employee believed was her ex-husband.

Employees noted that "Elias would normally get 'shaken up' when she talked to her ex-husband, but that day she was 'eerily calm," according to the charges.

The employee asked Elias "to keep it outside if her ex-husband showed up," according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office. When Michael Elias arrived, the employee said Sarah Elias asked her to keep an eye on her children, and then "with a smile … said, 'showtime,'" the DA's Office stated.

A short time later, the ex-husband returned to the business and told an employee, "She just pulled a gun out on me," and wanted to call the police, the charges state.

Sarah Elias followed her ex into the business, and after fumbling for something in her waistband, "point blank shot" her ex-husband, an employee told investigators.

"After the gunshots, Elias stood still for a second; she didn't look phased or shocked; she didn't look like she cared," the charges state.

A total of four children were in the business at the time. Police recovered two shell casings from the scene. Detectives say he was shot in the chest and pelvis.

Employees escorted Elias' children out of the building after the shooting. She came outside not long after "and looked, 'calm as a cucumber,'" employees said, according to the charges. Elias then told her children "that nothing happened and that their daddy has issues," the charges state.

Michael Elias later told detectives "that he had been trying for the last two months to pick up his daughters for parent-time, however, (Sarah) Elias has not been allowing it," according to the charges.

"Gun violence is unacceptable, much less in a business made to cater to kids. Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this alleged shooting; we will connect the witnesses and victim with resources that can help them cope with the trauma of such an experience," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.

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