Victim in West Valley City road rage shooting death identified

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC4) — The victim in a deadly road rage shooting on Monday morning has been identified by the Utah Highway Patrol.

According to UHP, the victim was identified as Jose R. Ramirez, 50, of Salt Lake County. The incident happened Monday, Oct. 7, and shut down SR-201 eastbound between West Valley City and South Salt Lake for several hours. One person was arrested in connection to the shooting.

Thomas Jim Long, 44, was arrested Monday afternoon and faces a felony murder charge, along with reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor; and one count of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. Each offense had “road rage” written next to it on the arrest document.

“Initial reports indicated that a black truck and a gray SUV were involved in a road rage altercation between I-215 West and the 900 West off-ramp, resulting in both vehicles colliding,” UHP said.

Both vehicles crashed into a concrete barrier. That is when Long allegedly fired “multiple shots” at Ramirez, which resulted in 15 shell casings being recovered from the scene. The probable cause statement said that the number of shots fired remains undetermined at this time. Ramirez was found unresponsive inside the truck. He died at the scene.

Long claimed that he was protecting himself.

Long was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on Monday afternoon on the aforementioned charges.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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