Suspect in 2023 Salt Lake City football field shooting sentenced

SALT LAKE CITY – A man who was arrested in 2023 after shooting that left two injured on a Salt Lake City football field will serve at least five years in Utah State Prison.

Steven Macias, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of discharging a firearm, first-degree felonies, nearly a year after his arrest in May 2023. Other charges against him were dismissed as part of the plea agreement, documents show.

On Friday, a judge sentenced Macias to five years to life in Utah State Prison on each count. the sentences will be served concurrently and Macias has already served 410 days.

Before sentencing, Macias admitted to shooting and killing his neighbor in Texas in 2023 “because his neighbor upset him,” documents state.

For this reason, Macias will then be sent to Texas to go through the justice system.

Macias was arrested in 2023 after fatally shooting a 65-year-old man and a 21-year-old man at 17th South River Park in Salt Lake City.

Both men were injured and the shooting caused a chaotic scene as around 30 people were in the area when the shots were fired.

After firing his gun, police reported Macias rode away on a bicycle and then got into a car. He then called the police and was arrested.

Documents reveal that at the time of his arrest, Macias told officers he was visiting Utah and was intoxicated when he realized he had lost money.

“Macias stated he was angry at the older Hispanic man, so he pulled his AR-15 out of his vehicle and began shooting,” the documents state in part. “Macias admitted that he then turned around and began pulling on the wreath behind him. Macias admitted that he was aware of the people around him and had no respect for anything .”

At Friday's sentencing, prosecutors pushed the judge to serve Macias' sentences consecutively, while the defense argued that Macias felt “absolutely horrified by what happened.”

The defense said during sentencing that Macias took full responsibility and blamed alcohol and mental health issues for the incident. They pushed the judge to release Macias for treatment and probation.

Ultimately, the judge sentenced Macias to prison.

“The court also strongly recommends that while you are in prison, you take advantage of the resources available there,” the judge said during the hearing. “There is drug treatment out there that you can take advantage of and I would recommend you do it.”

After being sentenced and escorted away, Macias' mother spoke out, vouching for her son.

“The person who committed this crime does not appear to be the same person that you all know,” the judge said after Macias’ mother finished speaking. “But you understand that the conduct and the consequences of that conduct truly warrant a prison sentence and not probation.”

As Macias begins his sentence, he will soon be sent to Texas to face a judge in connection with the murder of his neighbor in 2023.