Suspect arrested in fatal shooting of Chinese student near University of Utah

A 24-year-old American man accused of killing a Chinese student near the University of Utah in the western U.S. state of Utah was arrested on Tuesday, police confirmed.

"Suspect in #homicide is in custody," the Salt Lake City Police Department tweeted at about 12:45 p.m local time.

"Austin Boutain, suspect in fatal shooting Monday, has been apprehended. He is now in custody," the University of Utah also texted the news to its students.

Law enforcement search of the hills near the mouth of Red Butte Canyon, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, in Salt Lake City. A fatal carjacking attempt near the University of Utah late Monday left one student dead and touched off a campus-wide lockdown as hundreds of police officers swarmed buildings and nearby foothills and canyons in search of the suspected gunman. [Photo: AP]

Boutain, a white male with a tear drop tattoo on his face as well as tattoos on his neck and an arm, was the suspect in killing a 23-year-old Chinese student on Monday night in a failed carjacking attempt near the University of Utah's Salt Lake City campus.

The victim was ChenWei Guo, who was a pre-computer science major and worked as a peer advisor in the university's International Student and Scholar Services Office, Shaw Wood, a Communications Specialist of the university confirmed to Xinhua. 

He "was killed in a senseless, random act of violence," Wood said. 

Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown, center, speaks to reporters as University of Utah President David W. Pershing, left, and University of Utah Police Chief Dale Brophy, look on durning a news conference Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, in Salt Lake City. A fatal carjacking attempt near the University of Utah late Monday left one student dead and touched off a campus-wide lockdown as hundreds of police officers swarmed buildings and nearby foothills and canyons in search of the suspected gunman. [Photo: AP]

Assisted by a helicopter and snipers, hundreds of local and federal law enforcement hunted Boutain all night on campus and the foothills above the university by walking five meters apart through thick brush, but did not located him.

Police disclosed Tuesday that the suspect, who has a criminal history, and his wife may be connected to a recent suspicious death in the state of Colorado.