The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office has signed off on the actions of a West Valley City police officer who shot a man during a Dec. 15 SWAT standoff, concluding the officer acted lawfully and will not face criminal charges. The man who was shot, identified in charging documents as 42-year-old Steven Allen Whites, survived and is now looking at a stack of felony counts.
How the standoff began
It all started with what should have been a routine fender bender near 3450 W. 3500 South. According to charging papers, the other driver told police that Whites pointed a gun during the encounter. Investigators traced the suspect vehicle to a home on Oxford Way, where they say they found a 9mm shell casing on the front porch and a bullet hole in an upstairs window. Whites then barricaded himself inside, prompting a SWAT callout with an armored vehicle that used its battering ram to push in the front door while officers tried to talk Whites into surrendering, according to KSL.
Officer fired after suspect shot at armored vehicle
Investigators say the situation escalated when Whites opened fire from the front of the home with a 12-gauge shotgun, sending multiple rounds into the armored vehicle while officers were inside. An officer positioned about 40 yards away responded by firing two .223 rounds. A third unfired .223 round was later found near the officer's tripod, which investigators say matched clearing a malfunction. Body-camera audio captured the officer saying, "Got him," and a few minutes later, Whites walked out and surrendered, as detailed by Deseret News.
DA's finding and legal status
After reviewing the case, the Salt Lake County district attorney issued a final report concluding the officer's use of deadly force was legally justified. Prosecutors have charged Whites in the 3rd District Court with multiple felony counts, including several assault-on-officer and aggravated assault charges, and say he was bound over for trial following a preliminary hearing. His next court date is set for Aug. 24, according to KSL.
What police found and what's next
When Whites finally surrendered, officers reported recovering a 12-gauge shotgun, four spent shotgun shells, two 9mm handguns, and a rifle inside the residence, according to court documents. Prosecutors have asked that he be held without bail, citing concerns about erratic behavior and how quickly a minor crash turned into a SWAT standoff. The criminal case against Whites will move forward while the officer involved in the shooting faces no criminal charges at this time, as reported by Deseret News.
