Fatal 2021 shootout deemed justified by DA’s office
Mar 10, 2023, 4:16 PM
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill talks about a multiagency officer-involved fatal shooting at the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Building in Salt Lake City, on Friday, March 10, 2023. Gill announced all 11 officers involved were legally justified in using deadly force in the shootout that killed Anei Gabriel Joker, 20, who was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl and shooting at her residence. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County’s top prosecutor says officers were justified in shooting 20-year-old Anei Joker during a standoff on December 2021.
Background
Joker was shot by police during a shootout with officers in a 7-11 parking lot in Taylorsville on Dec. 1, 2021.
Joker died at the hospital and at least one detective was injured as a result of the shootout.
Findings
In a press conference on Friday, District Attorney Sim Gill said body-cam footage shows that Joker opened fire.
According to Gill, Joker fired between one and three shots during the shootout using a gun stolen out of a car ten days earlier.
“The gun owner reported it as a stolen gun from a vehicle in Salt Lake City Central neighborhood 1o days earlier on Nov. 21,” Gill said.
Outcome
11 officers in all opened fire and an autopsy showed Joker was hit 25 times. None of the officers were charged.
“Please do not leave your guns unattended in vehicles,” Gill urged, saying “They’re not properly secured and then we find them subsequently being used in other criminal activity.”
