SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Social media, a music video, and a real estate website are just some of the tools that led Sioux Falls police to two suspects accused of opening fire on a car.
19-year-old Aleer Deng faces a long list of felony charges. He’s one of two people accused of shooting at a car with three people inside, including a one-year-old child at The Monument on North Drive.
The SWAT team arrested Deng at a house off of Western Avenue Tuesday afternoon, as investigators were able to track him down using surveillance video, car records and social media.
“Technology really has changed the way law enforcement investigates crimes and there are certain aspects of it that can make it incredibly easy if we have the right information, and it may be something that people are posting on different social media platforms,” said Sam Clemens, the public information officer for the Sioux Falls Police Department.
Court documents say a video was posted just hours before the shooting, showing Deng and Manarion Fuse, who is the other suspected shooter.
Both men can be seen dancing with guns, including a Smith and Wesson with a blue laser.
The affidavit says the victims saw a blue light right before hearing a gunshot.
Police used a real estate website to track down the home where the videos were shot, and searched Fuse’s phone.
“It’s the things that people do and post every day. It doesn’t seem to be much of anything. It gets kind of a routine or habit that people were posting that stuff but there’s a lot of information that can be gleaned from that,” said Clemens.
Officials say with 13 casings found and bullet holes in a headrest and a car seat, the three victims are lucky to be alive.
“Really scary situation, something like that with the number of bullets that were fired at the car and after the fact kind of tracing where some of them went. We’re very fortunate that nobody had any serious injuries,” said Clemens.
Deng had his initial court hearing today and had his bond set at $50,000 cash the same as Fuse’s.
