Murder charges filed in fatal Sugar House shooting

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Salt Lake County District Attorney has officially filed charges against Cesar Gonzalez Juarez in connection with the Sept. 6 fatal shooting of Usman Dalal.

On September 6, shortly before 12:20 a.m., the Salt Lake City Police Department responded to the area of 1300 South Wilson Avenue after receiving calls of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Usman Dalal, 20, in the middle of the street with multiple gunshot wounds.

Usman was transported to the hospital and pronounced deceased. SLCPD booked Juarez into the Salt Lake County Jail on homicide charges shortly after the shooting. According to the SLC District Attorney, Gonzales Juarez had turned himself in to the police.

Today, Cesar Gonzales Juarez, 24, was formally charged with fourteen counts. He was charged with one count of murder (first-degree felony), three counts of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury (second-degree felony), and ten counts of felony discharge of a firearm (third-degree felony).

According to the probable cause affidavit, Usman was walking with his friends towards a party when a white GTI car pulled up next to them. An altercation began between Usman and the GTI occupants, leading to pushing and shoving.

One of the GTI occupants, later identified as Gonzales Juarez, was hit and fell to the ground before getting up and pulling out a firearm. He fired several shots, and Usman began running away, at which point another occupant of the GTI, identified as M.W., reportedly tackled and began to beat Usman.

After that, court documents say Gonzales Juarez allegedly fired several more shots, fatally hitting Usman. Another occupant of the GTI told law enforcement that he heard gunshots and immediately left the scene.

Reportedly, Gonzales Juarez and M.W. left the scene on foot and asked the GTI driver to pick them up at a nearby gas station. When they met with the driver, Gonzales Juarez reportedly told the individual who picked him up that he had been punched and fired his gun in self-defense.

Security footage from that gas station shows the GTI pulling into the parking lot at approximately 12:45 a.m., where an individual believed to be Gonzales Juarez walked towards the GTI. Another individual, believed to be M.W., was talking on the phone near the gas pumps.

The GTI left the gas station property, and M.W. and Gonzales Juarez were seen walking in the same direction as the GTI was traveling.

After a police interview, Gonzales Juarez told law enforcement he was in the backseat of the GT with his friends when they encountered hostile individuals at a party. He retrieved his firearm from his backpack and put it in his waistband before exiting the vehicle with a second individual.

Gonzales Juarez said that when he got out of the vehicle, he was punched several times in the face and feared for his safety. He told law enforcement that he fired his handgun several times at Usman until he ran out of ammunition.

According to court documents, the reporting officers allege that Juarez Gonzales “had no regard for the safety and welfare of others or the community” and “brought a firearm to a fist fight.”

“Gun violence in our community continues to ruin lives. Our hearts go out to the family of the victim in this case. Our Survivor and Victim Services Division will work with the family to help them connect with the resources necessary to help cope with the trauma of the sudden loss of a loved one,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.