COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A Cottonwood Heights man was charged Monday with firing multiple rounds at his brother in their home.
Kit James Welch, 20, is charged with six counts of shooting a gun and causing serious injury, a first-degree felony; obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and two counts of illegal firing a gun, a third-degree felony.
On July 22, Welch’s 25-year-old brother says he was in his home in the area of 2100 East and 6800 South and had just walked out of his bathroom after taking a shower when he saw his brother “standing in the hallway, wearing over-the-ear hearing protection, and holding a black handgun. (He) noted that the gun was raised and Welch’s elbows were locked. Welch then began repeatedly shooting the gun at (his older brother),” according to charging documents.
The two wrestled over the gun as Welch continued to fire rounds, the charges state. Welch then dropped the gun, “which gave (the victim) time to run out of the house. (He) reported hearing more gunshots as he ran from the house.”
When emergency crews arrived, they found the older brother lying in the driveway with injuries to both arms. Tourniquets were applied on both arms, the charges state. The man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition with injuries that included “bullet holes in his left forearm and shoulder” and “shrapnel extending into the tooth base (and the) dislodgement of four bottom teeth.
“The victim noted that he believed his facial injuries were sustained by a bullet that went through his arm and into his face while he was protecting his face,” the charges state. Detectives determined that the man was shot six times.
After entering the home, police found blood stains that appeared as though someone had tried to clean them, in addition to “damage to walls, door frames, and a window consistent with the discharge of a firearm,” according to the charges.
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Welch was upset with his older brother and their father “because they had found out he had a storage unit where he was collecting garbage” and the older brother planned to go clean it out that day, the court documents say. “The victim noted that he believed that this was what set (Welch) off and caused the incident to occur.”
While speaking with detectives, Welch noted that “he didn’t want to try hurting anyone, but at the same time he felt like he had no option,” the charges say.
Prosecutors have requested that Welch be held in custody without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.
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