Man shot woman in West Valley City in front of children, police say
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Investigators say four children were present Wednesday night when a 25-year-old man shot a woman in a West Valley City home.
Christian Kanga, 25, was arrested on suspicion of assault, kidnapping and domestic violence in the presence of a child, an affidavit of probable cause filed in 3rd District Court states.
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Officers responded around 9 p.m. to the home near the intersection of Carnegie Tech Street and Westpoint Drive. The victim was trying to get out of a second-story window.
Kanga spoke to officers from inside the house, telling them he couldn’t leave. Police decided to force their way in.
“They knew that [the victim] needed medical aid, and it was paramount that they get inside,” Lt. Bill Merritt told ABC4.
When officers entered the home, Kanga immediately surrendered. According to the affidavit, he was sitting next to a handgun and four children were present.
Kanga allegedly made “excited utterances,” saying “I did it for my kids,” the affidavit states. When asked if he meant to shoot the victim, he replied that he didn’t know.
The victim, initially identified as a teen girl but described as a woman in the affidavit, suffered two wounds from a single gunshot.
The bullet “hit her left leg, traveled through it and went through her right leg as well,” the affidavit states.
Kanga was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail early Thursday morning. Police told the court that he should not be released on bail, arguing that he poses a flight risk.
Support for victims and survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence is available 24/7: 1-800-897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, please call 911 immediately
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