In the late hours of a Monday evening in Salt Lake City, a gathering of men at an apartment in the Glendale neighborhood took a tragic turn, ending the life of 41-year-old Andrew Mozart Maka. On August 5, 2024, Maka, along with three other men, were drinking beer at an apartment near 1600 West and 1700 South. Maka had met one of the men just a week prior and had joined them after they made a trip to a convenience store.
The friendly atmosphere soured when Maka reportedly brought out a
handgun. While showing the weapon, he removed the magazine but then reinserted it. As he set the gun down on a table, it accidentally discharged, striking the brother of another man, Jima William Gat, in the hand. Upset by the accidental shooting, Gat is alleged to have grabbed the firearm and shot Maka multiple times. An autopsy would later reveal that Maka sustained two gunshot wounds to the neck, one to the chest, and one to his hand.
Police were called to the apartment at 11:54 p.m., where they found Maka unresponsive on the ground with a life-threatening gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of paramedics and officers to perform lifesaving aid, he was pronounced dead at the scene. In the immediate aftermath, the other individuals, including Gat and his injured brother, had fled the apartment. Investigators believe that Gat threw the gun used in the shooting into the Jordan River.
Following an investigation, the Salt Lake City Police Department identified Jima William Gat, 31, as the suspect. On Friday, August 9, 2024, Gat was arrested by the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team near 380 South 300 West. He was subsequently charged with murder, two counts of shooting a gun causing serious injury, and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors noted that Gat had a prior conviction for attempted murder in Oregon in 2010.
