Utah law allows gun owners to use deadly force in many cases, likely clearing weekend shooters
Posted May 5, 2015 5:45 pm.
Last Updated May 5, 2015 8:44 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
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.