Who is Dylan Lee McDonald? Utah man arrested after fatal SLC Liberty Park shooting allegedly over dog dispute
Dylan Lee McDonald, a 21-year-old Utah man, has been arrested after a fatal shooting at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday. McDonald is being held on a murder charge after officers responded to reports of gunfire at the popular park.
The authorities said that the shooting started from an argument over a dog. The victim died after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, according to court documents filed by the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Authorities have not released the victim’s identity as officials continue notifying next of kin. The investigation remains active, and detectives are interviewing witnesses and reviewing evidence collected at the scene.
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Who is Dylan Lee McDonald?
According to police, Dylan Lee McDonald, 21, was arrested shortly after the shooting on Sunday afternoon. Court documents state officers responded to Liberty Park at about 3:33 pm after receiving reports of a shooting that had just occurred.
When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. Emergency responders attempted to help him, but he was later pronounced dead.
Witnesses at the park identified McDonald as the alleged shooter. Officers then took him into custody. Police said he made several statements while being arrested, including claims that the victim had threatened a woman with a gun
Investigators have not said whether McDonald has retained an attorney or entered a plea. The allegations contained in the arrest documents have not yet been tested in court.
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Police and witnesses give different accounts
According to investigators, McDonald told officers he confronted the victim because he believed the dog the man had belonged to someone else. He said he wanted to return the animal to its rightful owner.
Police documents state the conversation escalated into a verbal argument and then physical contact. McDonald claimed the victim slapped him and reached for something. He said he then drew his handgun and fired.
However, witness statements collected by detectives differ from that account.
Police were also informed by several witnesses that the victim had shoved and slapped McDonald and that the two men had been fighting over a dog before the shooting. A witness also said, “McDonald said he was trying to get a dog from the victim … that actually belonged to someone else,” according to the affidavit.
According to the complaint, McDonald stated that after the victim slapped him during the altercation, “he pulled his gun and shot the victim because he was reaching for something.”
One witness told detectives the object the victim possessed was the novelty lighter, not a firearm. The witness said he removed the lighter after the shooting and showed it to McDonald before officers arrived.
According to authorities, investigators discovered “a black lighter shaped as a small pistol” next to the victim. Police also recovered a 9mm handgun, a spent 9mm shell casing and a black holster near the scene.
McDonald also reportedly told police that his glasses had been knocked off during the altercation, leaving him unable to see clearly.