SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 5, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake City Police Department has released the name of a man who died from a gunshot wound after fleeing police in the Rio Grande area on Wednesday afternoon.
In addition, the department now says an officer fired at the fleeing man — 35-year-old Michael John Zahn — and is now declining to reaffirm its earlier statement that Zahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A department has posted a video on Facebook saying West Valley City police will take over the investigation, and will determine who shot Zahn.
“Just after 4:20 this afternoon, our officers were called to a trespass call,” Sgt. Brandon Shearer, SLCPD, says on the Facebook video. “As they were getting ready to clear the trespass call, they determined one of the suspects they were dealing with, Michael Zahn, a 35-year-old male, had an active felony warrant for a parole violation. The officers attempted to take Mr. Zahn into custody, at which time he fled.
“During the incident, at some time, the officer discharged their weapon. Mr. Zahn then fled into a building. Officers went into the building, at at some time discovered Mr. Zahn inside the building, deceased, from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Because a Salt Lake officer fired a gun, West Valley City police were called in to head an investigation, in keeping with protocol..
“Because of this incident, there is one Salt Lake City officer who will be on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
SLCPD Chief Mike Brown will also be asked to render a judgement after an internal investigation, so will not be commenting on the case, Shearer said. In addition, bodycam video, if it exists, will be reviewed, then released within 10 days in keeping with policy, Shearer said.
