Man convicted of murder after shooting at Sacramento sports bar

(FOX40.COM) — A man who fatally shot another person at a Sacramento-area sports bar two years ago was found guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office .

Toese Asiata was dancing to music at Cheers Sports Bar in Natomas on Sept. 13, 2022, when a man named Nicholas Snead bumped into him, the prosecutor's office said. Asiata then pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his backpack and killed Snead, shooting him multiple times.

A second victim was hit by gunfire. The prosecutor's office said the person suffered lengthy hospital and nursing home stays, underwent multiple surgeries and underwent physical therapy as a result of his injuries.

After shooting Snead and the other person, officials said Asiata fled Sacramento, which launched an investigation into his whereabouts by the Sacramento Police Department.

“Sacramento Police detectives learned Asiata's identity from witnesses and reviewed video surveillance that captured the shooting,” the prosecutor's office said on X. “After much effort by detectives to locate Asiata, they were informed that he had been located in Hawaii.”

Asiata was arrested in Hawaii and extradited to California to stand trial on his charges, including first-degree murder and assault with a semi-automatic firearm.

Asiata's sentencing date is set for July 12. He faces a maximum sentence of 72 years to life in prison for his crimes.