DA Rules Officer-Involved Shooting Death Of Cody Belgard Justified
May 24, 2019, 11:38 AM | Updated: 1:25 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill revealed Friday that the 2018 officer-involved shooting death of Cody Belgard has been ruled justified.
He announced the findings of the investigation into the shooting in a Friday news conference. He said his office does not intend to file any criminal charges against the five Salt Lake police officers involved in Belgard’s death.
Belgard, 30, died November 9, 2018 after police said they located a car that had fled from them several days prior. They found Belgard and his girlfriend in the car, but he was uncooperative and fled from the scene, hitting a police car in the process, police said.
After a short, high-speed chase, police located the car again near 800 N. Sir Michael Drive. Belgard again was noncompliant with officers’ demands, according to police.
Five officers fired shots in the following moments, and Belgard was killed. Police initially said Belgard had a weapon, but later said no weapon was found in his possession or at the scene.
Belgard’s family questioned the actions of officers and demanded justice.
“You don’t even have any idea what it feels like to see a person as good as Cody get shot down like a dog,” his father, Mike Belgard, said in November. “They murdered my son.”
