PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

JULY 3, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

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SLCPD Arrest Third Suspect in May Homicide Case

SALT LAKE CITY — Detectives with the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Homicide and VCAT Squads safely arrested a third suspect connected to the killing of 30-year-old Nico Christopher Patino.

On Tuesday July 2, 2024, SLCPD Detectives booked 19-year-old Nhial Buk into Salt Lake County Metro Jail for murder, felony discharge of a firearm, failure to stop at the command of a police officer, and obstruction of justice.

This investigation started at 4:03 a.m. on Sunday, May 26, 2024, when SLC911 received several calls about a shooting near 1800 West Fortune Road.

Officers arrived and found Patino with a gunshot wound. He died on scene.

Detectives with the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Homicide Squad responded and through their investigation, determined the killing of Patino to be a coordinated effort with several shooters on foot and in a car.

During their investigation, detectives identified Buk as being one of the shooters. Detectives learned the location of Buk and safely arrested him after a foot chase.

This is the third arrest in this case.

The motive remains under investigation.

Anyone with information on this case, including having photos or video, is asked to call 801-799-3000 or submit an anonymous tip using the City Protect App and reference case number 24-113488.

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

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.

The SLCPD Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) is a specialty unit within the department responsible for combating violent crime, by identifying and apprehending violent criminals and fugitives.  This unit works under the SLCPD Special Operations Division but also works closely with the Investigations, Patrol and Data and Research divisions to identify and direct targeted enforcement of hot spot areas and areas of rising violent crime

The Salt Lake City Police Department has the only full-time dedicated homicide squad in the State of Utah. The SLCPD’s Homicide Squad is responsible for investigating homicides, as well as attended deaths, unattended deaths, suspicious deaths, and deaths by suicide. Additionally, the SLCPD’s Homicide Squad is tasked with investigating missing persons cases and officer-involved-critical-incidents (OICI) from other agencies in Salt Lake County.

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