DA Rules Use Of Deadly Force In Millcreek Shooting ‘Justified’

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office released their findings in a police shooting that happened nearly seven months ago. Sim Gill said his office cleared all six officers who shot and killed 56-year old Marc Neal of any wrongdoing.

Officers arrived at a home in Millcreek on February 3 to find 56-year-old Marc Dominic Neal walking the grounds, brandishing what appeared to be a revolver. After several minutes of attempting to get Neal to drop his weapon, police say Neal moved as if he was going to shoot — that’s when six officers fired shots.

At a news conference Friday, Gill released body camera video from two of the officers on scene the day of the shooting. He said he reviewed the video, second by second, to determine the officers acted legally.

Nearly seven months after six police officers shot and killed a man during a domestic violence call, the district attorney determines whether the officers were justified. pic.twitter.com/vvcoqP3PiG

— Debbie Worthen (@DebbieWorthen) August 28, 2020

While Gill cleared the officers, he acknowledged this was likely a case of mental illness — an issue he would like to address on a broader scale.

“This shooting is absolutely tragic in the sense that you have somebody who may have mental health compromised, who may be on drugs,” said Gill.

Neal’s mother, Victoria Thomas, told KSL her son had suffered from mental illness all his life. She said when she called police, it wasn’t due to a fight at home, it was a call for help.

“He had been institutionalized for so long — he just didn’t know how to make it out here,” said Thomas.

The District Attorney showed the weapon Neal brandished that day in February. He said even though it was not a real gun, there would have been no way for officers to determine that from 30-feet away.

The investigation also revealed officers had called for a non-lethal back-up, but the situation escalated before that help arrived.