Matthew Scott Alder makes an appearance in 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Pool photo by Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune)
Prosecutors and defense attorneys both agree the armed protest volunteer accused of shooting and killing an innocent bystander in Salt Lake City in June was trying to neutralize what he thought was a threat. They disagree on whether what he did was a crime.
The case got underway Tuesday as Matthew Scott Alder, 43, appeared in court for the first time to answer a charge of manslaughter, more than seven months after the shooting…