Officials release identity of victim, additional details of St. George bar shooting
ST. GEORGE — The man who died following a shooting at the One and Only Bar in St. George early Saturday morning has been identified, and further details have been provided as to the events that transpired that morning.
According to court documents, Spencer Maluafiti Tafua, 34, died from his injuries at Dixie Regional Medical Center after being shot by Bronson Flynn, 26, of St. George.
Read more: Man dead after fatal shooting at St. George bar
The shooting, which took place around 1 a.m. Saturday, was reportedly a result of a dispute between bar patrons that started in an area in front of the bar, according to a post on the St. George Police Department’s Facebook page.
After responding to the scene, St. George police officers were informed by multiple individuals that a man later identified as Flynn had fled the scene. Some other witnesses at the scene directed one of the officers to a white Crown Victoria vehicle parked in the southwest corner of the parking lot of the bar.
“Officers took the suspect male into custody and observed an assault rifle in the front passenger seat area of the vehicle,” the affidavit states.
Flynn was taken to the St. George Police Department for questioning. During detectives’ initial contact with Flynn in one of the interview rooms, they were able to smell alcohol on his breath.
The affidavit continues to state that when detectives were out of the interview room, they observed Flynn remove an object from his person and stick it under the leg of the interview room desk. The object was later identified as a silver pipe with liquid suspected to be THC oil.
“Bronson told detectives he didn’t want to get in any more trouble, as an explanation to why he hid the pipe underneath the desk,” the affidavit says.
Officers also tried to get Flynn to consent to field sobriety tests due to him being at a bar, the odor of alcohol on his breath and being found in control of a motor vehicle when he was taken into custody. He declined the officers’ request.
The events that transpired between Flynn and Tafua are still under investigation; however, the affidavit states that while interviewing witnesses, detectives learned that Flynn had pointed the assault rifle at two other individuals.
Flynn was arrested on the following charges: homicide, two counts of aggravated assault involving a weapon, DUI, brandishing a firearm during a fight, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a weapon by an intoxicated person.
Following the incident, multiple family members and friends of Tafua took to social media to share memories and condolences. A GoFundMe page was also set up to help with funeral expenses and Tafua’s children.
Raymond Hosner, a family friend of Tafua and head football coach at Pine View High School, expressed his sorrow on Facebook Saturday.
“My HEART is broken Spencer Maluafiti Tafua passed today leaving behind his amazing children and family. I am so glad that Spencer was able to live with us and influence my kids in so many amazing ways,” Hosner wrote. “My wife and Spencer grew close and she would always say how happy Spencer’s smile and hugs made her. His heart was so BIG he would do anything for anyone.”
St. George Police Captain Mike Giles told St. George News there will be an internal briefing from investigations on Monday about the incident.
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