An attorney representing a Utah city and two of its officers says a young man killed by police while wielding a samurai sword was not shot because of his skin color, but because of his reckless actions.
Lawyer Heather White said Wednesday at a news conference that the two Saratoga Springs officers acted appropriately to defend themselves and to prevent 22-year-old Darrien Hunt from harming others at a nearby bustling shopping center.
Last month, Hunt's family filed a civil rights lawsuit against the officers and the city. It contends that Hunt wasn't a threat and was fatally shot on Sept. 10, 2014, after he tripped while running from two Saratoga Springs officers.
Family attorney Robert Sykes was not immediately available for comment.