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OGDEN, Utah (AP) -- The Weber County attorney has cleared two Ogden police officers of any wrongdoing in connection with the May shooting death of William Maw.
Maw, 35, was shot May 27 during a traffic stop after he pulled a gun on police.
County Attorney Mark DeCaria sent a letter to Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner clearing the officers and commending them for "hard work, dedication and bravery."
According to the letter, Sgt. Troy Burnett and officer Aaron Hawes fired a total of seven shots at Maw after he ran from them and pulled handgun from his waistband.
Every round struck Maw, DeCaria's letter states.
Maw was pulled over in Ogden by a Utah Highway Patrol trooper after failing to use a turn signal and because neither Maw, the driver, nor his passenger were wearing a seat belt.
Burnett stopped to assist the trooper and recognized Maw, a known white supremacist with a history of violence and drug use, DeCaria said.
After Maw's passenger was arrested on an outstanding warrant, police ordered Maw out of the car. He stepped out but then turned and ran, pointing his gun at Burnett.
Burnett fired four times, knocking Maw to the ground. But Maw continued to point his semiautomatic handgun at officers, who fired again -- Burnett twice and Hawes once.
Officers then called for medical help. Maw was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
In his letter, DeCaria said Burnett was "entirely justified in taking extreme measures" and that despite being wounded and on the ground, Maw was still capable of threatening police.
A convicted drug offender who spent time in the state prison, Maw, had two other cases pending in federal court when he died.
Greiner said Friday that Burnett and Hawes had passed an internal investigation by the department and had returned to work about a month ago.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
