Salt Lake County prosecutors determined the officer was justified in fatally shooting a Taylorsville veteran outside his home last year, but that his death was a symptom of the larger mental health crisis facing veterans.
Law enforcement investigate after West Valley City police shot and killed a veteran outside his home in Taylorsville, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023.
On the rooftop, the officers kept an eye on Potts and began scheming to remove Potts’ family from the house next door, fearing, Gill said, that Potts might make a break for that house and harm them. Thompson declined to be interviewed by prosecutors. West Valley City police did not immediately return a request for comment about the determination Thursday afternoon.
When asked if officers could have responded differently, given the man’s mental health and veteran status, Gill responded that it’s a law enforcement responsibility to make protocols and procedures for dealing with someone experiencing a mental health crisis. He added that it’s possible that Potts had decided to goad officers into shooting him, and that a different sort of police response may not have changed the outcome.
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