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DRAPER — A West Valley police officer was legally justified when he shot a man he stopped to investigate on his way to work, a district attorney concluded Friday.
The fatal shooting was recorded on an officer's body camera.
For officer Jason Vincent, a 12-year veteran with the West Valley Police Department, it is the second time in his career that he has been cleared in the use of deadly force.
On Jan. 14, Vincent was leaving his house near 11600 South and 120 East in Draper's Cranberry Hill subdivision when he noticed a 4-Runner parked along the street and a man slumped over the wheel.
Vincent called for two Draper police officers to back him up before he went to investigate. A West Valley police sergeant who had just gotten off duty and was in the area also responded. After talking to the driver, the four officers attempted to arrest him for a narcotics violation.
For 17 minutes, Jeff R. Nielson, 34, of Sandy, is seen on the video being polite and cooperative with police. At one point, Nielson even thanks the officers for treating him well.
But in the 18th minute, Draper Police Sgt. David Harris is heard in the video telling Nielson that the officers are going to take his handcuffs off him and then put on a pair of handcuffs from another West Valley officer who will take him to jail.
But when an officer attempts to switch out handcuffs, Nielson makes an immediate dash for his truck as soon as the first set of handcuffs are taken off.
All four officers can be seen in the video attempting to pull Nielson out of his vehicle in a violent struggle.
According to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's report, Vincent delivered "distraction blows" to the back of Nielson's head in an attempt to get him to stop, but he continued to resist the officers.
As Nielson struggled to get back in the cab again, Vincent can be heard on the video yelling, "Knife!"
Vincent observed Nielson "making stabbing movements at the officers," according to the report.
A shot was fired, followed by four more rounds in quick secession, striking Nielson twice in the side, once in the chest, another in the arm and once in the back. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
Friday, District Attorney Sim Gill ruled that Vincent reasonably believed that his life and the lives of the other officers were in danger and was justified in shooting Nielson.
The incident marked the second time Vincent was involved in a shooting involving a man who pulled a knife and threatened to harm or kill others.
On Dec. 15, 2013, Vincent confronted Oston Shiloh Fairbourn, 24, who was walking into traffic at the intersection of 3200 West and 3500 South. When Vincent got out of his car to talk to the man, Fairbourn immediately pulled out a knife with a 7-inch blade and told the officer he was going to die.
Vincent pulled out his gun and ordered Fairbourn more than once to drop the knife. Many witnesses told investigators that Fairbourn was only a few feet away from the officer when he pulled the knife on him.
Fairbourn survived the shooting. A jury later convicted him of attempted aggravated murder and he was sent to prison for five years to life. The shooting was ruled to be legally justified.
