Photo Courtesy of Sean Gleason/Twitter
A Black professional bull rider was shot in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Monday by his alleged girlfriend. Officials are ruling the incident a “domestic violence homicide.”
Salt Lake City Police identified the bull rider as Demetrius Omar Lateef Allen, 27, who performed under the stage name, Ouncie Mitchell. He was visiting Salt Lake City to attend the Utah State Fair and planned on staying with his alleged girlfriend, LaShawn Denise Bagley, 21.
Allen competed in the bull riding category at the Fair on Sunday night, according to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. After the fair, he and Bagley decided to hit up a bar downtown, where they got into an argument.
In a press release, the Police Department stated that Allen arrived at Bagley’s apartment to retrieve his belongings, located at 900 South and 200 West. Bagley pulled out a gun and shot at Allen multiple times.
The bull rider was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police arrested Begley, transporting her to the Salt Lake County jail for suspicion of murder and felony discharge of a gun.
The investigation is still ongoing, but officials say there was no indication of forced entry. Police found blood outside the apartment but none inside, suggesting there’s no evidence that he made it inside to gather his belongings.
“…We believe this was an isolated situation, domestic related, and there is no threat to the public at this time,” Detective Michelle Peterson said.
Sean Gleason, the Professional Bull Riders CEO, posted his condolences on Twitter.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Demetrius Allen, who fans knew as Ouncie Mitchell,” Gleason tweeted. “Ouncie was a talented cowboy and a familiar face on the Velocity Tour. The PBR extends our heartfelt condolences to Ouncie’s cousin Ezekiel Mitchell and the entire family.
Allen’s cousin, Ezekiel Mitchell, told Fox 13 that he doesn’t know why Bagley shot him.
“I don’t understand, and I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to understand,” Mitchell said. “The guy that would give the shirt off his back to anybody, why would you take his life away?”
Mitchell added, “Every time I put my hand on a bull rope from now on, it’ll be him right there in the back of my mind. He was a once-in-a-lifetime person and a once-in-a-lifetime family member and friend and more so, a brother.”
On another note, Bagley took the life of a 4-year-old daughter’s father. Nyteshea Haywood, the daughter’s mother, shared it was hard having to tell her child that her father had died.
“She loved her daddy,” Haywood explained. “She loved him and loved him and loved him. It was always, ‘My daddy this, my daddy doing this, my daddy took me fishing. She loves her dad, and so having to break that news to her was a huge distraught.”