Comments about ‘Salt Lake County deputy cleared in shooting’

of course he was! If he tasered the guy... he would have been cleared sooner... why isn't this officer in jail?

Well I wonder why even have an investigation. Give each officer a rubber stamp that says "shooting justified" they can then write up their "story" and stamp the report.
Think of all the money we will save!!
The results would be the same as now!!
When was the last time that any shooting or tasering by an officer has been found unjustified?
When was the last time an officer was charge with excessive force?

This story is too short on details to draw any real conclusion.

If the story is accurate, the cop was more than justified in shooting this guy.

Well as far as I'm concerned another one bites the dust, Good job officer!

Guns,Guns,Guns and more guns. Makes no difference who carries-- if their around crowds in a bar someone (good or bad) is more likely to get killed.

We've got two totally different stories of the events. Without knowing what independent eyewitnesses reported, it could go either way.

Why do people persist in thinking that it's guns. A gun, a knife, a broken bottle or a club. It all depends on who is using it and if the purpose is good or bad.

Breaking the law is not a game. If you threaten others I hope that all police officers will protect themselves and the public before they think of the perp. Good work officer.

When this first happened the investigatiors (SLCPD and the SO, and maybe even the DA's Office) stated that the video cameras got the whole incident on tape, but no one released the tapes. Now the DA's PIO states that the videos didn't "capture" the whole incident and still the tapes aren't released because they are evidence in another case. The stories have changed, the videos have not been released, and now there is some other case? Lawsuit I presume. To gain the public's trust these tapes need to be released. What keeps them from still being used in other cases if they are released? Whatever was "captured" on the tapes should remain the same whether they are released or not. This shooting story or stories still stink. Release the tapes and be done with it.

See how a trained member of law enforcement acted? It must be ok to carry a gun and drink. All this time, I thought you shouldn't carry a gun after you've been drinking. I got this foolish idea alcohol impairs logic.

When, I've been in bars and things start going south, I leave. I thought this was using common sense.

All these years law enforcement has told us to call them, if you see things are getting out of control. This professional didn't, he shot someone in the back. Why should citizens call the police when police won't call the police? They know more about police than we know.

There is no surveillance footage inside this bar?

Junior is lucky to be alive. The officer had the presence of mind to hit him where there were no vital organs (or he just got really lucky). You do something stupid like try & beat a man to death in a public place, expect the worst.

"It must be ok to carry a gun and drink. All this time, I thought you shouldn't carry a gun after you've been drinking. I got this foolish idea alcohol impairs logic."
The same legal standard of being under the influence applies to both carrying a firearm and driving. See U.C.A. 76-10-528 and U.C.A. 41-6a-502.
76-10-528.
Carrying a dangerous weapon while under influence of alcohol or drugs unlawful.
(1) Any person who carries a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance as defined in Section 58-37-2 is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Under the influence means the same level of influence or blood or breath alcohol concentration as provided in Subsections 41-6a-502(1)(a) through(c).
(2) It is not a defense to prosecution under this section that the person:
(a) is licensed in the pursuit of wildlife of any kind; or
(b) has a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm.

Having worked with delinquent youth for years, I have always told them that it is unmanly, and cowardly to use a gun in a fist fight.
It does not prove that you are tougher, It just proves that you are a murderer.
This cop should never have been drinking in a bar with a gun.
Are you telling me that he, and his brother could not protect themselves?
I have been in simular situations, and I know most of the time it takes two to tango.
He allowed himself to get pulled into the fight, and then could not handle it. So he pulled a gun.
He could have just walked away, instead he decided he wanted to "defend a girls honor"
He should have let the club take care of it, rather then escalate the problem.
If he was anyone else, he would have been arrested and charged, the judge would have given him a long lecture prior to a prison sentance about consequences, when you allow yourself to get into bad situations, and lose your temper.
It amazes me how much the attitude, is the same, when it comes to criminals and police.

I agree the dude was drunk, got into a bar fight, and then shot someone.
Being a cop had nothing to do with it.
Until is came time to "pay the piper" then he ran to his pal cops, and the district attorney, to bail him out.
Anyone else would be in prison right now.
Guess what? if you get into a fight, you might lose.
Its better to stay out of fights, and bad situations.
Police, youth counselors, and judges, tell the gang bangers all the time: just walk away, do not allow yourself to get pulled into a bad situation.
I guess he wanted to show what a big tough man he was.
Criminals and police their all the same!
He should have just walked away.

When do the cops not clear their friends in their internal reviews? These incidents shouldn't be handled by internal review at all. They should be handled by a jury of normal citizens who don't have a strong underlying bias. The stuff cops get away with is ridiculous.

GO TO A BAR,CARRY A GUN AND BADGE AND DRINK. SEE A RELATIVE GET BEAT UP AND SHOOT THE SUSPECT, WOW, HOW MANY BEERS(?) DID HE HAVE BEFORE THE SHOOTING. MUST BE NICE TO HAVE YOUR OWN DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATE A SHOOTING DONE BY ONE OF ITS OWN. CITIZEN SHOOT A COP GO TO JAIL, COP SHOOT A CITIZEN GETS A FREE GET OUT OF JAIL CARD. IF YOU ARE GOING TO A BAR AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE GONNA PARTAKE OF THE BEVERAGES LEAVE THE WEAPON AT HOME, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOURE JUDGEMENT WILL NOT BE AT 100%.

Ok, I just wanted to weigh in on this. I'm a truck driver and if i'm driving my car not a 18wheeler if I do something stupid like hit someone. I will be prosecuted to a higher level as a regular driver would, because i'm a professional driver. This is what needs to happen in this case. The off duty officer needs to be prosecuted, because he did something stupid like pull a gun out and shoot. He may be a good person, but good people do stupid things. own up to your mistakes and the public will forgive. hide behind your friends of power and be labeled a coward. Politicians on both sides should do the same.

How many times do you have to tell someone to back off, have security chase them off, and have them continue before you escalate?
The officer was justified in ending the situation with a single non-fatal shot. With his experience, do you think he wanted it to be fatal and missed? Get REAL!! The drunken bum who was being a total jerk and would not back off got what he deserved.