Prosecutor: No charges in shooting of knife-wielding man

RIVERTON, Utah (AP) — A Utah prosecutor says a police officer who fatally shot a Riverton man holding a butter knife to his mother’s throat won’t face charges.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said Friday that Unified Police Department Officer Darrell Broadhead was justified in using deadly force against 26-year-old Jason Robert Whittle on Oct. 22, 2018.

Gill said Whittle was previously diagnosed with bipolar and schizophrenia and that Whittle’s mother called police to report that her son was mentally ill, high on methamphetamine and out of control.

Gill said Whittle threatened to kill his mother though she said she didn’t think he would harm her and that police should not shoot him.

Broadhead didn’t cooperate with investigators but Gill said another officer said Broadhead had to shoot to protect Whittle’s mother.