Bryan Brooks was 19 when he was shot during what began as a drug deal at Chapel Street Park in Layton on the night of January 29, 2017. Friends said he had recently earned his high school diploma and was trying to turn his life around after earlier trouble in juvenile detention; they described him as a good friend and a loving brother who could make people laugh.

Brooks and his girlfriend had driven to the park to meet two men, 19-year-old Bostin Crookston and 18-year-old Isaac Cain Lee Valdez. After the two men entered Brooks’ car the meeting escalated into a robbery and, during a struggle, one of the men shot Brooks once in the head. His girlfriend drove him to get help and called 911; Brooks was taken to the University of Utah Medical Center in critical condition and died the next day.

Crookston and Valdez fled on foot but were arrested by Layton police the following morning and booked into Davis County Jail on murder, aggravated robbery, and obstruction charges, with an additional firearms charge against Crookston. If anyone knew Bryan or has information about the case, please share what you know.