Parolee arrested, accused of attempted murder in North Salt Lake shooting

NORTH SALT LAKE — A man on parole who police say has "a long history of violent criminal arrests" was again arrested Wednesday and accused of attempted murder in a North Salt Lake shooting last week.

Ammon Michael Etherington, 36, was arrested for investigation of attempted murder, aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, and prohibited weapon conduct.

On Friday, Aug. 21, North Salt Lake police responded to a man who had been shot by an unknown person. When police arrived, officers located a man with two gunshot wounds in his abdomen, police said.

The victim told police a man driving a red GMC Jimmy shot him twice after a brief confrontation, according to a police booking affidavit. The victim said the alleged shooter had dropped off his ex-girlfriend the day prior to visit their shared children, and he had confronted him earlier that morning about being parked near his house, the affidavit said.

The man, later identified as Etherington, told the victim he was there to return property to the ex-girlfriend and handed him a bag and pair of shoes to give to her.

"The victim then told the male he needed to leave the area because he was not welcome near his home," the affidavit said.

Etherington left and the victim told his ex-girlfriend that the man needed to stay away from his house. When the victim was leaving for work, he noticed Etherington's vehicle had returned so he confronted him, police said. Etherington is accused of then pulling out a handgun and shooting at the victim, the affidavit alleges.

Police met with the ex-girlfriend, who identified Etherington. She said she had been hanging out with him and staying at his place in Tooele the day prior and asked him to drop her off at the victim's home so she could visit her children. The woman told him to just drop her off and not stay in the area because "it would cause problems with the victim if he saw him," the affidavit says.

Police identified Etherington's vehicle, which was "was picked up on Flock cameras outside the trailer park community minutes after the shooting," the affidavit said. Etherington's vehicle was located and towed to the North Salt Lake Police Department, where it was searched and the firearm was found, police said.

Etherington was found by Unified police early Wednesday after they received complaints about him loitering outside an apartment complex at 6900 S. State Street, the police booking affidavit said.

"He failed to identify himself and fled from officers on foot. An officer pursued Ammon before Tasing him to take him into custody," police said.

Etherington is on parole for four aggravated burglaries and robbery charges, and should not be in possession of any firearms as he is a convicted felon, police said.

"Ammon has a long history of violent criminal arrests ... Ammon is a threat to society and has little regard for human life. Ammon has made several statements about fleeing the state and suicide by police to avoid going back to prison," the police booking affidavit said.

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