SALT LAKE CITY — Despite finding that a Salt Lake City police officer was not justified in the shooting of a suspect who fled from a traffic stop last year, criminal charges will not be filed against the officer.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Friday that the officer involved in the June 2024 incident "was not legally justified in the use of deadly force," but the evidence did not show that he acted "recklessly."
On June 29, two suspects, including Bobby Joe Caster, were seen speeding in a truck with equipment violations. As a Utah Highway Patrol trooper turned around to perform a traffic stop, the men drove away in the truck, which was later found abandoned near 5650 West 700 South.
As officers searched for the suspects through heavy grass in a field, Caster was found by a K9 handler while another officer fired one round, hitting Caster in the hand. As Caster was treated on the scene for his hand injury, the other suspect was located without incident.
Body camera video below shows incident involving officer:
Gill's report acknowledged that officials did not find "any evidence" indicating that Caster was armed, adding that it was reasonable "to conclude that when the shot was fired, [the officer] could not see into the thick grass where Mr. Caster was laying on the ground hiding."
In declining to file criminal charges against the officer, Gill said his office "does not believe the evidence is sufficient to show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that [the officer] acted recklessly — a necessary element to satisfy for a conviction."
New Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said his department is completing a thorough review of the case.
