Salt Lake County prosecutors have decided not to file criminal charges against a Salt Lake City police officer who fired at a fleeing vehicle during a December traffic incident, closing the book on a high-profile officer-involved shooting from Dec. 13, 2025.
Investigators say the officer fired a single round toward a white four-door sedan after gunfire came from inside the car. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office concluded the officer reasonably believed deadly force was necessary, which kept the case from moving into criminal court.
What The DA Concluded
According to the ABC4 review of the DA’s report, investigators found that a rear passenger in the fleeing sedan fired multiple handgun rounds from the vehicle. Prosecutors say six spent 9mm casings were recovered at the scene, and forensic analysis indicates one casing was fired by the officer while five were likely fired by the suspect.
That breakdown of shell casings became a key point in the DA’s decision, reinforcing the conclusion that the officer was responding to gunfire rather than initiating it.
Evidence From The Scene
In its written findings, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office notes that body-worn camera footage from Officers Barnett and Hargrave starts only after the shooting was already over. Both Hargrave and a 911-caller reported that some of the shots appeared to be aimed at a crowd…