Death Investigation underway following an officer-involved critical incident
Jul 31, 2022, 10:13 AM | Updated: Dec 29, 2022, 11:29 am
(Photo courtesy of SLCPD)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department activated its OICI protocol following the death of a 40-year-old woman that was detained in January.
The woman, Megan Joyce Mohn, died at Salt Lake Regional Hospital on Jan. 30, 2022. A medical examiner released Mohn’s autopsy report on July 28, revealing the cause of death to be homicide.
Following the autopsy report, the SLCPD activated its OICI protocol. The four primary officers who were involved were placed on paid leave.
Body-worn camera footage will be released by the SLCPD and reviewed as part of the death investigation.
The arrest of Mohn
SLCPD received a call for a woman carrying rebar and pacing in the area of 400 West 900 North at 3 a.m. on Jan. 11, 2022.
It was later revealed to police that Mohn had attempted to enter a secure area through a truck exit gate when a truck driver stopped her. She ran back into the intersection of 400 West 900 North after being confronted.
An officer arrived on the scene at around 3:30 a.m. where the officer saw that Mohn had two pieces of rebar in her hand. Mohn was then ordered to drop the rebar and sit on the ground. She complied.
It was then that Mohn began screaming and resisting the officer. A private security guard who was on the scene reported that Mohn “just kept screaming incoherent language” and she “was resisting and attempted to run.”
Just before 3:40 a.m., the officer got Mohn in custody and then called for backup. While detained and sitting on the grass, Mohn refused to give officers her name and kicked one officer multiple times. She was then moved from a seated position to a laying position on her stomach.
As Mohn continued to scream at and kick officers, she was placed into a leg restraint device. After being placed into the restraint device, Mohn stopped yelling and resisting.
Officers placed her in a recovery position due to the lack of response.
Despite being unresponsive, an officer could see that Mohn was still breathing while in the recovery position.
The officers made multiple attempts to wake Mohn before administering a dose of naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.
Mohn was released from all restraints as officers prepared to start CPR. Responding officers and firefighters performed CPR until Gold Cross transported Mohn to Salt Lake Regional Hospital in critical condition.
Officers located methamphetamine, spice, and alcohol after an inventory of Mohn’s property.