Utah Good Samaritan Kills Attempted Carjacking Suspect
Police say the man had a legal concealed weapon and every right to shoot it.
— -- An unidentified man is being credited for stopping an alleged attempted carjacking in Utah, ending with his fatally shooting the suspect, authorities said.
The encounter, which happened Saturday in Orem, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City, left Taulagi Matafeo, 26, dead, police said.
Authorities say the unidentified man, 31, intervened when he heard a woman screaming after the unarmed Matafeo entered the running car with her inside. The passerby told Matafeo to get out of the car and put his hands up but, instead of complying, Matafeo lunged for the man’s gun and the man fired, shooting him once in the chest, police said.
Police say the man had a legal concealed weapon and every right to shoot it. Officers and prosecutors are still investigating but do not expect charges to be filed against the shooter because he was acting in self-defense, Orem Police Lt. Craig Martinez said.
“We feel this man did what he thought he had to do in order to save his life and that of the woman,” Martinez said.
Matafeo’s family says he was a defenseless victim.
“He was scared and panicked and just trying find a way to get home,” a statement from his family reads. “Taulagi was not perfect, he struggled, but he was surrounded by many loving individuals who were trying to help him. He wanted to be happy, and for the most part he was. He loved unconditionally.
“He cried a lot with us, because he hated having pain and creating pain. Taulagi putting it simply just wanted to be loved and accepted and recognized. Therefore he gave hugs and amazing ones.”
Gun-control advocates questioned whether the death was necessary. Ladd Everitt of the Washington, D.C.-based Coalition to Stop Gun Violence said the shooter could have pulled the woman to safety and reported the crime to police, who were already searching for the unarmed man.
"This just seems like something that got escalated unnecessarily," he said. "We don't execute people in this country for stealing cars."
But a Utah gun lobbyist said the shooter did the right thing. State law allows the use of guns in self-defense and to prevent felonies such as a car theft, and Utah Shooting Sports Council Chairman Clark Aposhian says situations like the alleged attempted carjacking are the reason why.
"In this case, it was a hard choice and it had to be made instantly," Aposhian said. "It could have gone much worse."
Police do not plan to release the shooter’s name, or the identity of the car owner, because of privacy reasons, Martinez said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.