Man with knife killed by officer

A man being investigated for a domestic violence assault was shot and killed by police after advancing on an officer while holding a butcher knife.

Kevin Leslie Jones, 53, was shot multiple times at about 4:30 a.m. Saturday at the Manor Apartments, 283 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City police detective Phil Eslinger said. Jones died shortly after being taken by ambulance to LDS Hospital, Eslinger said.

This is the second time in a month that a Salt Lake police officer has shot a citizen. On Nov. 12, a man swinging a wooden sword at police was shot outside the Cedar Pointe apartments, 731 S. 300 East. That person was injured but did not die.

Police were initially called to Jones' downtown apartment at about 2:30 a.m. Christmas Day after a 911 call reporting a domestic violence-related incident, Eslinger said.

Jones and his girlfriend were reportedly watching television with another man when Jones and the woman began to argue. When the verbal dispute escalated to a physical assault, the couple's male friend intervened and allegedly forced Jones to leave the residence, Eslinger said.

Jones apparently became angrier and vandalized the apartment door before leaving.

Jones returned at about 4:30 carrying a large butcher knife, Eslinger said. Police were still at the scene completing a domestic violence report.

Confronted by an officer and ordered to drop the knife, Jones allegedly refused to comply, Eslinger said. Instead, he began yelling at police.

After repeated refusals to comply with police, Jones alleged moved closer to an officer, who then shot the man several times. Eslinger did not know how many rounds the officer fired.

An autopsy will be conducted.

Police officers who use deadly force with citizens do so only when they feel their own lives or the lives of other innocent persons are at risk, Eslinger said.

Citizens using so-called "edge weapons" — knives, swords, or broken bottles — pose as much a threat to others as those toting firearms, he added. Police training also instructs officers to adhere to a 21-foot distance rule.

"Anything from 21 feet and (closer) has the potential to be fatal," Eslinger said, adding that several years ago, a Salt Lake officer needed more than 100 stitches after fighting with a citizens who was carrying a broken beer bottle.