SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 22, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Thursday that the use of deadly force that killed a Magna man in a Nov. 15, 2023 police response was justified.
Police from multiple agencies responded to a call of gunshots in a Magna neighborhood, and found Joseph Dean Black, 48, allegedly intoxicated, going in and out of his house, sometimes carrying a handgun and sometimes a rifle.
They were told Black had fired guns both inside and outside of his residence.
Responding to police, Black reportedly said he was “locked and loaded,” and he did not comply with multiple orders to disarm.
At one point, a woman later confirmed to be Black’s daughter exited the house and tried to disarm him, the DA’s statement says. Black reportedly knocked the female unconscious.
“Mr. Black raised the handgun in the officers’ direction, and nine officers fired their weapons at him,” the DA’s news release says.
“Mr. Black fell onto his porch with his gun still in his hand. Eventually, police officers were able to remove the gun, take Mr. Black into custody, and rendered first aid.
“Mr. Black died from gunshot wounds on the porch.”
Because Black failed to comply with multiple orders to disarm, his aggression against his daughter, and his action in pointing the loaded gun threatened the lives of police officers and others in the area, Gill ruled that the officers’ use of deadly force was justified.
None of the officers involved in the officer-involved critical incident will be prosecuted by the DA’s office, he said.
Copies of the DA’s decision letter went to the chiefs of the Salt Lake City Police, Taylorsville Police, Unified Police and West Valley City Police.
