- The Salt Lake County DA ruled a West Valley officer's shooting legally justified.
- Steven Whites allegedly fired at SWAT, leading to charges including assault.
- Police say they seized multiple firearms inside Whites' home.
WEST VALLEY CITY — A West Valley City police officer who shot a man who had allegedly just fired multiple rounds at a SWAT team's armored vehicle was legally justified in using deadly force, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office recently ruled.
On Dec. 15, Steven Allen Whites, 42, was shot by police after allegedly engaging with the public and police in a series of threatening events. He survived the shooting and is charged in 3rd District Court with 12 counts of assault on an officer, a second-degree felony; four counts of aggravated assault and two counts of endangering a police K-9, third-degree felonies; and causing an accident, a class B misdemeanor.
The incidents began that morning with a minor traffic collision with another vehicle near 3450 W. 3500 South. Police say when the other driver, a woman, approached Whites to exchange information, he pointed a gun at her and her passenger and then drove off.
Using his license plate number, police traced Whites to his home at 3667 S. Oxford Way. Two West Valley officers went to the door to question him.
When they got there, they found "a 9mm shell casing on the ground and a bullet hole in the upstairs window glass," according to charging documents. The officers heard yelling from inside the home, which got louder when police announced their presence. When Whites walked out of his home, the officers ordered him to show his hands. As he did, police "observed the butt of a black handgun in Whites' hoodie pocket. Whites then ran back into the residence and barricaded himself inside," the charges state.
A SWAT team was called and responded with an armored vehicle. After giving several commands over the PA system to exit the house and surrender, "SWAT used a battering ram on the armored vehicle to push the front door open," according to Gill's final report released on Friday.
At that point, "multiple rounds were fired out of the front of the residence toward officers, hitting the armored vehicle," the report states.
West Valley police officer Matthew Lane was positioned across the street from the residence, about 40 yards away.
"Got him," Lane announced to others on his police radio after firing a shot, according to the report. But after shooting Whites, Lane advised others that he could no longer see him using the scope of his rifle.
"He fell out of view," he is heard saying on body camera video.
Seconds later, Lane says, "I got him. He's on the ground. He's showing us his hands" followed by "I can't tell if his hands are empty."
Lane then fired a second time at Whites, the report states. Investigators say Lane fired a total of two .223 rounds, and a third unfired round was found on the ground near his tripod, "consistent with clearing a malfunction," according to the report.
Minutes later, Whites exited his home and surrendered. Inside, police found a 12-gauge shotgun, four spent shotgun shells, two 9mm handguns and a rifle, according to the report.
In May, during a preliminary hearing, Whites was bound over to stand trial. His next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 24.
