- Officer Clifton Payton was legally justified in shooting and killing Chandler Grillone, an investigation concluded.
- Grillone, wielding a ninja star, threatened Payton and a ride-along passenger.
- Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Friday no charges will be filed for the January 2025 confrontation.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake police officer who shot and killed a man during a bizarre confrontation that started during a traffic stop, with which the victim wasn’t even involved, will not be charged.
Officer Clifton Payton was found to be legally justified in shooting 32-year-old Chandler Dean Grillone, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Friday.
On Jan. 9, 2025, about 1:30 a.m., Payton made a routine traffic stop and pulled over a pickup truck near 375 S. 765 West. In body camera video, Payton is sitting in his patrol car about 10 minutes later, verifying the driver’s vehicle registration and license, when he is startled by Grillone, who was not involved in the traffic stop, but approached the officer’s vehicle and knocked on the driver’s-side window…