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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Salt Lake City police officer will not face charges in the shooting of a suicidal man earlier this month, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Officer Carlos Valencia responded to the home of Roger Cantu on April 7, after Cantu's brother, Dan, called for help.
Once there, he found Cantu, 20, brandishing a large wooden stick. When he asked Cantu to put down the stick, Cantu instead charged at him -- and Valencia fired.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's office says Valencia was justified in using deadly force because he reasonably believed that deadly force was necessary to protect himself.
Cantu recovered from his injuries -- shots to his arm and leg -- and was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for the incident.
Though officers involved in use of potentially-deadly force are typically put on administrative leave while the action is being investigated, the Tribune reports that police will not disclose whether Valencia is back on duty. They have also not given any information about Valencia's law enforcement background and whether or not he has undergone any training in dealing with suicidal or mentally ill people.
