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Paul Finn Rasmussen

Age : 48

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/24/2021

Location : 300 North 900 West

City : Provo

County : Utah

State : Utah

Agency : Utah County Sheriff’s Office; Pleasant Grove Police Department

Officer(s) :Justin Mortensen; Chris Peterson

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during narcotics task-force operation

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/24/2021, Utah County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Justin Mortensen and Pleasant Grove Police Department Officer Chris Peterson killed 48-year-old Paul Finn Rasmussen outside 935 W. 300 North in Provo. Both officers were working with the multi-agency Utah County Major Crimes Task Force. Later information released by the Utah County Attorney’s Office substantially expanded on the initial reporting and established that task-force investigators had been following Rasmussen because police believed he possessed firearms and was distributing narcotics.
Earlier that evening, task-force officers attempted to stop Rasmussen while he was driving a 2012 blue Buick LaCrosse. Initial police reports described the attempted stop as occurring on Geneva Road in Provo and said a deputy noticed Rasmussen slowing, pulling off the roadway and then returning to the road before attempting the stop. The later Utah County Attorney’s Office account instead placed the attempted stop on Interstate 15 in Orem and disclosed that Rasmussen was already being followed as part of the task-force investigation. According to police, Rasmussen drove through a red light and continued away at high speed. Officers discontinued the attempted pursuit because they considered continued pursuit too dangerous.
Shortly before 10 p.m., task-force officers located Rasmussen’s Buick at 935 W. 300 North. Later reporting described the location as outside Rasmussen’s home. Rasmussen was outside or getting out of the vehicle when officers approached and activated emergency lights. According to the subsequent prosecutor’s account, one officer confronted Rasmussen while he was walking away from the vehicle. Police alleged Rasmussen turned and pointed a handgun at that officer, who moved behind a nearby vehicle for cover. Peterson and Mortensen then fired multiple rounds at Rasmussen. Police did not allege that Rasmussen fired at the officers.
Rasmussen was struck multiple times. Officers provided medical aid until paramedics transported him to Utah Valley Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead approximately an hour after the shooting. Investigators reported finding one firearm near Rasmussen’s body and another firearm in his clothing.
The Utah County Officer-Involved Critical Incident Team investigated the killing, with the Lehi Police Department serving as the lead investigative agency. The investigation was completed in December 2021, followed by additional investigative work requested before prosecutorial review was completed. On 03/01/2022, Utah County Attorney David Leavitt announced that his office would not file criminal charges against Peterson or Mortensen. The prosecutor accepted the police account that Rasmussen pointed a firearm at an officer and concluded that Peterson and Mortensen were legally justified in using deadly force.
Later reporting also identified Rasmussen by his full name, Paul Finn Rasmussen. He was born 12/17/1972 and was the father of six children. Rasmussen worked in construction and became skilled in brick masonry and concrete work, and his family described him as an outdoorsman who enjoyed camping, fishing, mountain biking and hiking.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Mortensen was previously involved in a heavily publicized January 2018 police pursuit of Jeremy Llewelyn, who police alleged had shot a civilian and fired at officers. Mortensen intentionally rammed Llewelyn’s pickup with his patrol vehicle to end the pursuit and sustained minor injuries in the collision.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.ksl.com/article/50359800/2-officers-were-legally-justified-in-killing-orem-man-county-attorney-says
https://www.ksl.com/article/news/utah/no-charges-filed-for-two-officers-who-shot-and-killed-utah-man-in-provo/51558172
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/03/02/officers-who-fatally-shot/
https://www.ksl.com/article/50228847
https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/2021/aug/25/two-officers-on-administrative-leave-with-pay-after-fatal-shooting-tuesday/
https://www.sundbergolpinmortuary.com/obituaries/paul-rasmussen
https://www.utgia.org/copy-of-conferences-2
https://www.deseret.com/2018/1/25/20638836/suspect-in-manhunt-said-he-d-die-before-going-back-to-jail-police-say/
https://www.fox13now.com/2019/05/15/meet-django-a-new-addition-to-the-pleasant-grove-police-department