Salt Lake County prosecutors have decided not to criminally charge a West Valley City detective who opened fire on a man in a shelter parking lot on Nov. 19, 2025, after the man allegedly rammed an officer’s vehicle with a stolen van. The suspect surrendered and was not hit by any of the shots. He is still facing separate criminal charges tied to the alleged ramming and the reported vehicle theft, and prosecutors say a fuller explanation of their review will come later, once it will not interfere with that ongoing case.
What the DA decided
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said his office concluded that a jury would likely find the detective’s use of force justified “to prevent continued or further threats of deadly force by Mr. Lopez,” and therefore declined to file charges, according to KSL. Gill’s office released only an abridged findings letter for now and said the full report will be made public when it no longer risks affecting the suspect’s separate criminal proceedings.
What police say happened
Officers were called to the Switchpoint Overflow shelter, where staff reported that a man was asked to leave, according to FOX13. Police say he then walked to a nearby auto shop, got into a van, and drove it back to the shelter parking lot. Investigators say the van struck an officer’s unmarked vehicle, the officer fired at the van as it fled, and the driver later crashed elsewhere and was taken into custody.
What the DA’s review found
The district attorney’s abridged summary says Detective Greg Celentano opened the door of his vehicle and fired three shots as the van reversed and moved toward other parked cars, and that the suspect, identified in court records as 35-year-old Steven Lopez, was not hit. Prosecutors say investigators reviewed body-worn camera footage, surveillance video, scene documentation and the officer’s weapon. They also interviewed Lt. Robert Brinton, who told investigators he believed the van’s driver was trying to hurt the officer, while Celentano declined to be interviewed, according to the DA’s letter.
Court records summarized by the DA indicate Lopez was booked on charges that include aggravated assault and motor-vehicle theft, then later ordered released to an inpatient program while his case continues. His criminal case remains pending, with a court hearing set for Feb. 17. Prosecutors inferred the detective’s rationale for firing from the available evidence rather than from a direct interview, according to KSL.
How officer-involved reviews work
The Salt Lake County district attorney’s office conducts independent officer-involved critical-incident (OICI) reviews to determine whether an officer’s use of deadly force was lawful, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office. These reviews typically draw on body-worn camera footage, surveillance video and witness statements, along with physical evidence, before the office issues a written findings letter that can clear officers even while related criminal cases against suspects move forward…