Utah law allows gun owners to use deadly force in many cases, likely clearing weekend shooters

By Lindsay Whitehurst And Brady McCombs, The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY – Police say two Utah men fatally shot would-be criminals a few miles apart over the weekend, but neither shooter is expected to face charges in a gun-friendly state that was one of the first to pass a “Stand Your Ground”-style law more than 20 years ago.

In the first shooting, a man who holds a concealed carry permit intervened when a carjacker jumped into a woman’s vehicle in Orem Saturday morning. The suspect was shot lunging for the bystander’s gun, police say.

Hours later, a homeowner in Pleasant Grove shot a man who pounded on his front door in the middle of the night, then climbed to a balcony and attempted to force his way in, police say.

Prosecutors haven’t reviewed the cases, but Utah law allows deadly force in many circumstances.

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