MIDVALE — Unified police officer Aaron Bartholomew believed his fellow officers life was in danger when he shot at Michael Huggard in August, according to findings released Friday by the Salt Lake County District Attorneys Office that determined the shooting was legally justified.
All three of Bartholomews shots missed the Midvale man, according to court documents filed earlier this month, but police say at that at nearly the same time Bartholomew shot, Huggard shot himself in the head, leaving him critically injured.
The encounter began around 1:40 a.m. on Aug. 16, when fellow Unified police officer David Wilson pulled Huggard over near 920 E. South Union Ave. (7220 South). Huggard had reportedly been driving his motorcycle recklessly at 60 to 70 mph.
"Officer Bartholomew said that when he arrived at officer Wilson’s traffic stop, he could tell that the situation was 'confrontational,'" District Attorney Sim Gill's report states. "Bartholomew said he heard the suspect say that the police were trying to surround him … (and also) said something along the lines of he knew where he was going … and he didn’t want to go back."
Huggard immediately made "an aggressive stance" when initially approached by officers, who smelled alcohol on his breath and were warned over the radio that he had a history of confrontation with police, according to the report.
Wilson used a Taser on Huggard after the man allegedly reached behind his back in what looked like a grab for a weapon. Huggard pulled out a gun, according to the report, causing Bartholomew to draw his gun and shout twice, "Put your hands up!”
(Bartholomew) believed the suspect was going to shoot officer Wilson … (and) believed he needed to use deadly force," Gill wrote.
Bartholomew fired three shots in quick succession, according to Gill, but missed Huggard. The officer saw Huggard shoot himself in the head, at which point he, Wilson and another officer reportedly began first aid.
Both officers feared for each other's safety, the report concludes.
"Officer Bartholomew said that he saw Mr. Huggard point his weapon at officer Wilson; officer Wilson said he saw Mr. Huggard point his weapon at officer Bartholomew," Gill wrote. "Our review of the video recording of the incident tends to show that both statements are correct, since Mr. Huggard brought his weapon up and around in a sweeping motion and pointed it at the officers before he pointed it at his own head."
A dashcam recording captured part of the initial traffic stop but didn't show any shots being fired, Gill said. Surveillance video from a nearby business reportedly showed all of the gunfire and the moments leading up to it.
Gill said Bartholomew was within his legal right to use deadly force when considering all the circumstances he was faced with.
"Individual circumstances and events dictate when deadly force is reasonable," Gill wrote. "In this case, Mr. Huggard’s apparently imminent, unlawful threat of death or serious bodily injury to officer Bartholomew and officer Wilson made officer Bartholomew’s belief that deadly force was necessary … reasonable."
Police have said they expect Huggard will receive treatment at a long-term care facility for his self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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