Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill has ruled that a Cottonwood Heights police officer who shot a 17-year-old two months ago had good reason to use his weapon.
The district attorney cleared Sgt. Chris McHugh after reviewing the dramatic lead-up to the confrontation that played out under an I-15 overpass. In fact, he signaled that McHugh’s handling of the situation was textbook.
“Based on that totality, we concluded that Sergeant McHugh reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or another person and, therefore, was justified in the use of deadly force,” the D.A. said.
Gill said key factors included a high-speed chase from Fort Union to the 1300 South overpass and a box of .22 caliber bullets that tumbled out of the teen’s backpack as he tried to ditch his car. Then, once the officer slid his own gun into the holster, the teen reached again to his waist as he lay on the sidewalk.
Gill said a handgun was found in the teen’s underwear at the hospital where he was treated for a gunshot to the hip. The teen is being prosecuted as a juvenile, and Sgt. McHugh is back on the job.