Buk M Buk: Aaron Lowe's shooter, 22, has 'extensive violent criminal history'
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: The Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) announced that they have arrested the person responsible for the shooting of Utah Utes football player Aaron Lowe. The SLCPD put out a statement on Oct 3 confirming that 22-year-old Buk M Buk was arrested and charged for the murder of Lowe as well as the attempted murder of another woman on the same day. Beyond the arrest, few details were made about Buk.
As we previously reported, Lowe was killed less than a year after teammate Ty Jordan. Lowe even adopted Jordan's jersey number as a tribute to his friend. But his shocking death on September 26 began sparking claims that the number was cursed and led to calls to retire it. So far the Utes haven't commented on those claims and instead spent the week mourning Lowe. After over a week, SLCPD finally made an arrest in the case, bringing much-needed closure to Lowe's family and team.
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Apart from adopting Jordan's number, Lowe was also the first recipient of the Ty Jordan Memorial Scholarship earlier in 2021. The duo were also very close friends and played together at high school in Mesquite. Jordan was killed on December 26, 2020, after accidentally shooting himself in the hip in Denton, Texas. Lowe was shot at a house party in Salt Lake City, which led to police intervention, but it was too late.
Who is Buk M Buk?
Police identified Lowe's killer as Buk Mawut Buk, a 22-year-old with an "extensive violent criminal history." One local website reported that Buk was amongst the many uninvited people who showed up at a party meant for players only, following the Utes victory over Washington State. "Multiple people who were not invited came to the party and were causing problems," the jail booking affidavit says.
At around 12:30 am, Buk met another person at the party, said something to him and then took out a pistol from that person's bag. He then walked down the driveway and across the street before firing two or three shots at Lowe and a 20-year-old woman whom Lowe was with. He then walked up to the two victims and shot them several more times in an attempt to "finish them off". Lowe died at the scene, while the unidentified woman was taken to hospital in critical condition, where she still is.
The SLCPD managed to nab Buk on September 3 in Draper, Utah, around 19 miles from Salt Lake City. They also executed search warrants in Layton as part of the efforts to find Buk. "Because of those tips and the unrelenting pursuit of justice from our homicide detectives, we have arrested the person accused of murdering Aaron Lowe," said SLCPD chief Mike Brown in a press release. Police have not revealed further details about the shooting of Lowe, including a motive. Chief Brown did hold a press conference to announce the arrest but declined to take any questions. He added that the investigation was ongoing, but did not detail if additional suspects were being looked at.
Buk is currently being held on charges of aggravated murder, attempted murder, and felony discharge of a firearm without bail. At the time of the shooting, he was on probation for two robberies he committed. In one of those robberies, he attempted to rob a father and his daughter at gunpoint with his cousin in 2019. Earlier in March, he was also convicted for failing to stop at the command of police. In 2018, he was found guilty of shoplifting and failing to appear in court, and has also been charged with several misdemeanors before that.