By Police1 Staff
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah district attorney ruled that an officer who fatally shot a man was legally justified in using deadly force in the incident captured on body camera.
The footage released by Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gills shows Michael Bruce Peterson behaving erratically and assaulting officer Gregory Lovell with his own baton, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. Lt. Andrew Obald fatally shot Peterson during the Sept. 28 confrontation at a gas station. Both officers were injured.
Peterson reportedly trespassed, harrassed employees and groped a woman near a building that houses a massage school and beauty salon. Lovell arrived to the scene first and commanded Peterson to stop before using his TASER and baton on the suspect, which were ineffective.
Obald responded to Lovell’s call for backup and saw the officer’s face covered in blood. After several warnings, Obald fired 10 shots at Peterson, who died at the scene.
The officers were transported to a hospital and released that evening.
The shooting occurred on Obald’s last day on the force. He was placed on administrative leave after the incident. Lovell was placed on medical leave and is still in crutches.