Utah family shares devastation of losing father, husband in road rage shooting

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah — A Nice Grove group is grieving tonight after a husband and father of 4 was killed in a street rage incident.

The Mortensen household misplaced their little 7-year-old daughter London in a transferring truck accident eight years in the past. And now, they’re coping with the devastating lack of their husband and father.

“He was this large, huge mountain of a person, and you set a pet on him or one in all his youngsters and he would soften on the sight of his spouse and children,” mentioned Chris Mortensen’s sister-in-law, Jessica Roussel. “That was the factor that introduced him essentially the most pleasure in life.”

Household and mates are nonetheless making an attempt to make sense of 41-year-old Chris Mortensen’s dying.

“We all know it was a mindless act of violence that took him, and that’s the primary factor that the household goes to endlessly wrestle to grasp,” mentioned Brandon Merrill, cousin and household lawyer.

Mortensen was killed Wednesday following a street rage incident on Interstate 15, the violence escalating when the 2 automobiles received off the freeway in Sandy. Police say that’s when 32-year-old Rodrigo Monroy pulled out a gun and shot Mortensen within the chest.

“It is a excellent instance of worst case situation, mentioned Sgt. Greg Moffitt from the Sandy Police Division.

Whereas Monroy was arrested for first-degree homicide, Mortensen leaves behind a spouse and 4 youngsters.

“He was every thing to Nicole,” Roussel mentioned. “I used to be speaking to her this morning and he or she mentioned, ‘He was made for me. We have been made for one another.’ He carried her burdens with out a single grievance and cherished her and her household a lot.”

Roussel mentioned her brother-in-law’s dying will go away an enormous gap of their household’s coronary heart, and that he’ll all the time be their light big.

She mentioned he lived a lifetime of service that can all the time be remembered.

“He was all the time trying to assist different folks, and he was all the time making an attempt to dwell his finest life, as a result of he knew when this life was over, he would have the ability to see his daughter once more, and he needed to be sure that was one thing attainable for him to do,” Roussel mentioned.

Mortensen was the only real supplier for his household. A donation website* has been created for them.

*KSL TV doesn’t guarantee that the cash deposited to the account shall be utilized for the advantage of the individuals named as beneficiaries. If you’re contemplating a deposit to the account, it’s best to seek the advice of your personal advisors and in any other case proceed at your personal danger.