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SALT LAKE CITY — A Unified Police Officer was justified in twice shooting a Magna man who was apparently threatening officers with a metal pipe.
The decision that officer J. Timpson was justified in using deadly force in the shooting of Louis Gregg was issued Wednesday by Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. This is the third officer-involved shooting decision Gill has made in the past month with the two previous incidents deemed not justified.
A neighbor called police on July 7 after Gregg, 48, allegedly threatened her 14-year-old son — in violation of a stalking injunction. According to a letter written to Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder about the incident, Timpson confirmed that an injunction was in place, that there was a $15,000 warrant out for Gregg's arrest and that the man had a history of mental health problems and altercations with police.
"After arriving at the scene, officer J. Timpson initially made contact with Gregg, who was sitting in his upstairs window sill and yelling," the letter states. "Gregg immediately began to curse at and threaten (Timpson), saying he was going to 'break every bone in his face.'"
Timpson made assurances to Gregg that he simply wanted to talk to the man. When Gregg continued with his threats, Timpson relayed the threats to dispatchers, prompting a second officer, who said he was familiar with Gregg. When that officer arrived, Gregg agreed to speak with him.
The officers went to the door and were soon met by Gregg, who was wielding a pipe estimated at six to eight feet long. The man repeatedly threatened the officers, finally prompting the other officer to deploy a Taser.
"The Taser was unsuccessful at stopping Gregg, and seemed to further agitate Gregg," Timpson's letter stated. "Gregg then raised the bar over his head in a manner as if to strike the officers similar to an axe or as if to throw the bar similar to a spear."
Timpson fired his gun, striking Gregg in the arm. Gregg apparently continued in the officers' direction until a second round struck him in the chest.
In Gill's letter, he writes that witnesses confirmed the officers' account of events — including that they tried to reassure Gregg, that they attempted to use less lethal means to subdue the man and that Gregg "was behaving particularly aggressively and erratically on the date in question."
Gregg was transported to the hospital in extremely critical condition. He survived his injuries and was later charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of stalking — all third-degree felonies, and three counts of threat of violence and one count of interfering with an officer, all class B misdemeanors.
A competency hearing has been ordered in the case and is scheduled for Sept. 12.
Email:emorgan@ksl.com
