FARMINGTON, Utah (ABC4) — Prosecutors have declined to file any charges against five Farmington Police officers who shot and killed Chase Allen after he refused to follow police orders on March 1.

After reviewing all evidence, Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings cleared Sgt. Taylor Jacobson and officers Eric Gonnuscio, Justin Boucher, Kyle Carey and Harrison Chen, noting “no reasonable possibility of conviction.”

Farmington Police Chief Eric Johnsen released Rawlings’ decision today, which was originally filed on July 28. According to the letter, Boucher “lawfully stopped [Allen], who was driving with a false license plate.” Allen also failed to follow lawful commands from Boucher to provide documents. He further refused to step out of the car, “indicating by word, deed, and demeanor that he would not comply.”

Allen then attempted to pull a loaded firearm on officers, actually getting it free of its holster before the officers opened fire on his vehicle.

“The evidence is persuasive,” stated Rawlings’ decision not to prosecute “There is no reasonable probability of prosecution. The officers had a reasonable, articulate and objectively verifiable belief that use of deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to themselves or others.”

In the county attorney’s decision, he noted the public’s interest in the shooting, and also said his office had received “aggressive input from persons concerned about the case.” Rawlings said he felt some observations were also in order:

While the loss of human life is devastating, the law does not require law enforcement (or anyone) to wait until a firearm in the control of and in the process of being deployed by another is actually fired before responding. In short, the law does not require a person get shot, or even shot at, before returning fire. The justification defense requirements actually outlined in the law sanctioning when an LEO (law enforcement officer) can use deadly force were clearly present in this case.

The FPD LEOs did not deploy deadlin force over a license plate or any other minor violation. They fired in self-defense because deadly force was in the process of being engaged against them while they were attempting to addresss the violations civilly.

LEOs are not required to allow any individual to violate the laws enacted by a legislative body because the individual does not feel the law is constitutional, or because that person believes the law should not apply to them. Sucn individuals have a mechanism to challenge the law, its application and constitutionality. The proper forum for that is the judiciary, not with a gun in a parking lot.

Davis County Attorney Troy S. Rawlings, 7/28/23