The Salt Lake Tribune
SANDY, Utah — Three Sandy police officers who shot and killed a 38-year-old man in December when he pulled a gun on them in the attic of his home have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
The Salt Lake County Attorney’s Office, which investigated the shooting, confirmed the “verbal clearance” Thursday.
The three Sandy officers responded to a home at 415 E. 8400 South on Dec. 21 at the request of a bail bondsman who was there to revoke the bail of Patrick Rees.
Rees’ wife let officers in so they could search for her husband who was hiding in the home. When they cornered him in the attic, Rees jumped from under a pile of insulation and pulled a gun on them, police said. The three officers fired. Rees died.
District attorney’s office spokesman Nate Bryan said his office reviewed the case and determined the shooting was justified. “No action will be taken against any of the officers involved,” he said.
In addition to the verbal clearance, the district attorney’s office is expected to issue an official written statement, Bryan said.
There were 13 cases in 2007 in which Utah officers shot and killed people, which is up from four in 2006.
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