A lawyer representing the family of a 22-year-old black man who was killed by police on Wednesday in Saratoga Springs, Utah told the Los Angeles Times that the man was running away from police when he was shot “numerous” times.
Randall K. Edwards, the attorney hired by the family of Darrien Hunt, referred to an independent autopsy that reportedly showed Hunt was shot from behind.
“This is consistent with statements made by witnesses on the scene, who report that Darrien was shot to death while running away from the police,” Edwards said.
The newspaper reported that Tim Taylor of the Utah County Attorney’s Office released a statement about the shooting.
“When the officers made contact with Mr. Hunt, preliminary evidence suggests that Mr. Hunt brandished the sword and lunged toward the officers with the sword, at which time Mr. Hunt was shot,” Taylor said.
However, according to what Edwards told the paper on Sunday, this account is contradicted by the autopsy.
“It would appear difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile these facts with the story released by the Utah County Attorney’s Office that Darrien was lunging toward the officers when he was shot,” Edwards said. “We continue to hope that a full investigation will reveal the whole truth about this tragedy.”
