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WOODS CROSS — State officials said they have completed an investigation in the case of a Woods Cross police officer who pulled a gun on a black child last year, but family members are wondering why it has taken so long.
DJ Hrubes, who the family said is 10 years old, was playing in the front yard when he was mistaken for a suspect they were looking for in the area.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, the State Bureau of Investigation submitted their findings on an independent investigation into the matter to the Davis County Attorney’s Office on July 10, 2019.
Jerri Hrubes, DJ’s mother, was wondering why the investigation into the officer’s actions has taken so long.
“I feel very forgotten. DJ’s story feels very forgotten,” Hrubes said. “It’s been over a year. I’ve been extremely patient. I believe he had a gun pointed at him because he was black. I want peace, but I want answers. I do fear for DJ because he is black.”
After the incident, Chief Chad Soffe with the Woods Cross Police Department stood by his officer, saying that DJ did fit the description of the suspect.
But Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings wasn’t about to say it’s a closed case — and started a criminal investigation.
The State Bureau of Investigation also conducted an independent investigation. Their investigation completed in July of last year recommended no charges against the officer.
But Rawlings said he still needs more information from Woods Cross police and the SBI before he makes a final decision.
“To date, a completed investigation has never been submitted to the Davis County Attorney’s Office for screening,” he said. “The Davis County Attorney’s Office is not willing, and never has been willing, to do a simple review. We need a complete criminal investigation to make a screening decision.”
Remember this? DJ had a gun pulled on him by an officer while playing in his front yard.. that was more than a year ago ...Tonight @KSL5TV at 6 exclusive new details on the case pic.twitter.com/njTLNWeExq
— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) June 16, 2020
Soffe told KSL, “We are staying neutral on the case. Troy Rawlings or his investigators need to contact the DPS (or) SBI to get more information. He has not and should not contact Woods Cross for more information.”
Rawlings released a statement on Tuesday saying, “The Davis County Attorney’s Office has received tremendous cooperation from both the Woods Cross City Police Department as well as the State Bureau of Investigation. We are very pleased about what has and is transpiring in order to assist us in rendering a screening determination.”
Rawlings could not say when the investigation will be complete. If prosecutors do decide the officer committed a criminal act, some of the possible charges could include aggravated assault, brandishing a weapon or child abuse.
Rawlings’s office was also looking into whether police changed their story at all when this happened.
Meanwhile, Hrubes continued to wait.
“All of them said they would speak to me and not one person has explained anything,” she said.
