PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

March 10, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

SLCPD Arrest Man, Recover Stolen Car and Illegally Possessed Gun

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, the Salt Lake City Police Department arrested a 38-year-old man accused of illegally possessing a gun and stolen car.

This investigation started at 9:41 a.m. on Friday, March 10, 2023, when a SLCPD patrol sergeant spotted a stolen car near 500 South Redwood Road.

The sergeant tried stopping the car but the driver, later identified as Riziq Abdalla, sped off. The sergeant did not pursue Abdalla.

A short time later, a SLCPD patrol officer investigating an unrelated situation, spotted the car in the parking lot of a business near 1300 North Redwood Road.

After additional officers responded, they safely took Abdalla into custody inside of the business.

Officers recovered a gun they saw Abdalla throw into a garbage can as they entered the business.

Through the investigation, officers found out Abdalla is on parole and a convicted felon which restricts him from possessing a gun.

Detectives assigned to the SLCPD Auto Theft Squad responded to help with the investigation.

Officers booked Abdalla into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on felony counts of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Failure to Stop at the Command of a Police Officer, and Possession of a Dangerous Weapon by a Restricted Person.

Charges are only allegations, and every arrested person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

To maximize prosecution efforts, detectives review the circumstances surrounding cases involving guns and gun violence to determine whether federal or state charges are appropriate.

The Salt Lake City Police Department has a dedicated unit strictly to auto theft. This unit is highly skilled and experienced. The detectives assigned to the SLCPD Auto Theft Unit not only follow up on cases by handling all auto theft investigations, but they deploy into the field to track down known vehicle theft offenders who have warrants or to look for, and recover, stolen vehicles. The SLCPD Auto Theft Unit periodically does multi-day operations, using various department resources and technology to assist in making arrests and recovering vehicles. These operations have an immediate and direct impact on other crimes being committed in Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is not the custodian of record for jail booking photos. Utah Code 17-22-30 mostly prohibits the release of jail booking photos. Generally, a jail booking photo can only be released by the custodian of record after a conviction or when law enforcement determines the person is a fugitive or an imminent threat to a person or public safety. In Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of record for jail booking photos.

No further information on this case is being released. Neither the PIO nor the On-Duty Watch Commander are available for interviews.

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