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Salt Lake Officer's Killing Of Man Justified, Official Says

thinkprogress.org
District Attorney Sim Gill

District Attorney Sim Gill has decided a Salt Lake City police officer was justified when he shot and killed a man at a gas station in September.

Gill on Wednesday released video of 39-year-old Michael Bruce Peterson attacking Officer Gregory Lovell, prompting Lt. Andrew Oblad to shoot Peterson.

Officers were responding to a call about an erratic man trespassing in a salon and inappropriately grabbing a woman.

Officers say Peterson got ahold of Lovell's baton and beat him with it. Oblad says he saw Lovell's face bloodied when he got to the scene. He says Peterson then came after him, ignoring orders to stop. Oblad fired 10 shots, killing Peterson.

Gill said officers had no choice but to use the force they did, since Peterson presented an escalating threat.