FARMINGTON, Utah — The police officers who shot and killed a 25-year-old man earlier this year in Farmington have been cleared.
Farmington City Police Chief Eric Johnsen confirmed to FOX 13 News on Tuesday that the Davis County Attorney's Office has officially declined to file criminal charges against the five officers involved in the deadly shooting of Chase Allan on March 1.
Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings wrote a letter to Johnsen on July 28 in which he cleared the officers of wrongdoing.
"The officers had a reasonable, articulable and objectively verifiable belief that use of deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to themselves or others," Rawlings wrote.
The Standard-Examiner reports that the officers, who were placed on leave, have returned to work.
"We are pleased with the outcome of the investigation and determination by the County Attorney," Johnsen told FOX 13.
The deadly encounter began when Allan was pulled over on the afternoon of March 1 because his car had a "placard" instead of a license plate, police said.
When told the reason for the traffic stop, Allan is heard in the first officer's bodycam video saying: "I don't need registration and I don't answer questions." He refused to provide his identification initially before eventually handing over his passport.
Other officers arrived after the initial officer requested backup. When they ordered Allan to get out of his car, he refused and said that he was "not required to." Allan is heard in the video warning that the officers will "have an issue" if they proceed.
Allan was holding his phone in his right hand, then switched it to his left hand as his right hand moved toward his right leg.
The initial officer then opened the door while another officer tried to pull Allan from the car. An officer was then heard shouting "gun" several times, then shots were fired by five different officers from both sides of the car, ultimately killing the 25-year-old.
It was later shown that he had a holster on his right leg, and a gun was found on the floor of his car after the fatal shooting.
"The deceased attempted to withdraw a loaded firearm on the assembled officers, actually succeeding in getting it out of the holster he was carrying it in," Rawlings' letter read.
Since the deadly encounter, it has been noted that Allan was likely a supporter of the "sovereign citizen" movement. However, Rawlings emphasized that this affiliation nor Allan's "false license plate" were the reasons he was shot.
“They fired in self-defense because deadly force was in the process of being engaged against them while they were attempting to address the violations civilly,” Rawlings wrote.
Rawlings also declared that the officer who pulled Allan over was justified in doing so.
"A life was tragically lost and there is great impact as result. We, like you, are saddened for the family of the decedent and the [law enforcement officers] involved," the county attorney's letter read. "While the loss of human life is devastating, the law does not require law enforcement (or anyone) to wait until a firearm in the control of and in the process of being deployed by another is actually fired before responding. In short, the law does not require a person get shot, or even shot at, before returning fire."
