Police officer cleared in fatal shooting

Salt Lake City police officer Scott Mourtgos knew Steven Sickler posed an immediate threat to his hostage, police and the public, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.

"Under the circumstances ... the use of force employed by Mourtgos was clearly lawful," according to a letter by the district attorney's office clearing him of a fatal officer-involved shooting earlier this year.

On Friday, Salt Lake City police released the district attorney's letter that cleared Mourtgos in August.

Mourtgos shot and killed Sickler on July 6. Sickler had attempted to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint near Trolley Square. When that failed, Sickler ran into a house belonging to Juanita Lewis, 672 S. Green St. (640 East).

Sickler grabbed Lewis and held a gun to her head, according to the district attorney's report.

Mourtgos, who had grabbed his AR-15 from the trunk of his car, positioned himself near the rear of Lewis' house and watched as Sickler opened the back door twice, holding a gun to Lewis' head each time.

Through a lattice fence, Mourtgos positioned himself about 30 feet away from the door. As other officers tried to negotiate with Sickler, he yelled that "he was not going back to jail and that they would have to kill him," according to the report.

The third time Sickler opened the back door, still holding Lewis with a gun to her head, he got into another conversation with police.

"During another verbal exchange ... Sickler shifted his head, creating a small space between himself and his hostage," the report stated.

Mourtgos took that window of opportunity and fired once, striking Sickler in the face and killing him instantly. Lewis was not injured.

The DA's district attorney's office was required to review Mourtgos' case, as is standard any time an officer uses deadly force. He was cleared Aug. 14.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com