SALT LAKE CITY – An officer-involved shooting outside a Maverik convenience store has been deem as justified by District Attorney Sim Gill. The suspect was shot ten times as body camera footage shows him attacking officers with a police baton.
Police were first called to approach Michael Peterson after workers in a massage parlor near 300 South and 500 East claimed he sexually assaulted a massage therapist. Gill says Officer Gregory Lovell asked Peterson to stop, but Peterson refused. Body camera footage shows Peterson getting into a Jeep that he didn’t own, and Lovell used a taser to get Peterson out.
(Photo Credit: SLC Police)
That’s when Peterson can be seen getting out of the Jeep and fighting with Lovell.
(Photo Credit: SLC Police)
The officer broke his ankle during the fight, and Peterson had taken Lovell’s baton and beat him with it. However, that’s when Lieutenant Andrew Oblad arrived. Peterson turned his attention to Oblad, and tried to attack, but Oblad fired ten shots.
(Photo Credit: SLC Police)
Gill says, “Lieutenant Oblad continued to back away, and fired his weapon at Mr. Peterson, who continued to run at him. In fact, Mr. Peterson was hit with the first several shots and he didn’t stop.” Gill adds, “At that point, what ran through [Oblad’s] mind was that there was body armor on this person.”
Brown says, “Greg Lovell, when he showed up on that call, tried to use every level of de-escalation he could.”
Lovell reportedly still has a cast and is still recovering before coming back to work. The day of the shooting was Oblad’s last day before retirement. “No officer wants to have to be engaged in a gun battle like that. But, Officer Greg Lovell did what he had to do that day, and, thank God Lt. Andy Oblad was there.”
