Two officers who shot and killed a man in Provo in 2021 after the man pointed a gun at a third officer won’t face any criminal charges, the Utah County Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
The officers who opened fire were identified Wednesday by the county attorney’s office as Chris Peterson, with the Pleasant Grove Police Department, and Justin Mortensen, with the Utah County Sheriff’s Department.
Before Peterson and Mortensen fatally shot 48-year-old Paul Rasmussen on Aug. 24, members of the Major Crimes Task Force had been following him because he was suspected of distributing narcotics, according to Tuesday’s news release.
After driving south on Interstate 15, Rasmussen pulled off at Center Street in Orem and headed west toward Geneva Road, said a spokesperson for the Utah County Attorney’s Office. When an officer pulled up to Rasmussen, he ran a red left-turn arrow light and sped off, the spokesperson said.
Police pursued Rasmussen almost to University Parkway, the spokesperson said, but officers called off the chase because Rasmussen was “driving dangerously.”
Later that day, police found Rasmussen at his home near 900 West and 300 North in Provo. Outside the house, an officer confronted Rasmussen, who then pointed a gun at the officer, the release said.
As the officer took cover behind a vehicle, Peterson and Mortensen then fired “multiple rounds” at Rasmussen.
The 48-year-old man was struck several times and later died in a hospital. The release said he died of a gunshot wound.
According to the county attorney’s office, police found a firearm near Rasmussen as well as inside his clothes.
This shooting marked the 19th police shooting in Utah in 2021.
