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September 17, 2014

Utah: Autopsy Shows Darrien Hunt Shot in the Back by Police 
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Police in Utah are facing questions over the fatal shooting of a
22-year-old African-American man. Darrien Hunt was shot dead outside a
restaurant in Saratoga Springs last Wednesday. Utah County authorities
said he was shot after lunging at officers with a Samurai-style sword.
But Randall Edwards, an attorney for Hunt's family, told Huff Post Live
that autopsy results contradict that claim.

Randall Edwards: "The family has had an independent autopsy done, in
which it indicates that he was shot six times. None of those shots
entered from the front, and the one that killed him hit him right in the
middle of the back. The others were in his shoulder, there were two in
his leg, there was one in his elbow and one in his hand. So it begs the
question, of course: How is it that someone ends up shot in the back if
he is shot while he is lunging toward the officers?"

On Monday, authorities changed their account, telling The Guardian that
Hunt allegedly lunged at officers outside a bank that was actually
several dozen yards from where he ultimately died. Authorities also said
the two police officers involved had not been interviewed yet, a delay
which the family's attorney called "almost incomprehensible." One of the
officers was scheduled to be interviewed yesterday and the second
tomorrow, more than a week after the shooting. Hunt's mother, Susan,
told reporters she believes her son was racially profiled. "They killed
my son because he's black. No white boy with a little sword would they
shoot while he's running away," she said. Surveillance footage from the
scene has been obtained by authorities.

 

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