On December 30, 2023, a dispute over a parking space in Murray, a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah, tragically escalated, resulting in the death of 18-year-old Laka Girah, a Black male of the Mabaan tribe from South Sudan. The incident, which also claimed the life of 42-year-old Mojtaba Ahmadi, unfolded at the Brickgate at Fireclay apartment complex in the early hours of the morning.
The conflict began when two brothers returned to their apartment to find an unfamiliar car in their
assigned parking stall. After waiting and honking the horn for about 20 minutes with no response, they called their father, Mojtaba Ahmadi, for assistance and also contacted a tow truck. Shortly after, Laka Girah, accompanied by 19-year-old Sobeth Noge Koki and another individual, approached the brothers. Girah was reportedly armed with an AR-15 style rifle and Koki with a handgun.
An argument quickly ensued after one of the brothers asked Girah to move his vehicle. The verbal confrontation turned physical, with Girah and Koki allegedly striking one of the brothers. As Ahmadi tried to intervene and pull the men off his son, a struggle for Girah's rifle began. During the chaotic altercation, shots were fired. Girah was struck by gunfire and was later transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Ahmadi was also shot multiple times and died at the scene.
Following the shooting, Sobeth Noge Koki fled the area but was later located and arrested by Murray police. Investigators utilized surveillance video from the apartment complex, which captured both video and audio of the incident, to piece together the events. Koki was subsequently charged with murder, obstruction of justice, and multiple counts of felony discharge of a firearm in connection with the death of Mojtaba Ahmadi. While Koki was arrested and charged, the investigation into the complex and tragic series of events continued.
