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Wednesday AM headlines: Ogden police chief says officers' use of force was justified

Chief Young speaking at a podium
ABC4
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Ogden police chief Eric Young at Tuesday's press conference addressing a viral video of officers using force against a suspect on the ground.

Ogden police chief says officers’ use of force was justified

A video went viral over the weekend of Ogden officers appearing to hit a man they already had on the ground. At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Chief Eric Young said their internal investigation found the officers’ actions were justified because the suspect had shown “active aggression.”

Body cam footage showed several officers pinning down the suspect, Shawn Sims, who had tried to run from them. They had allegedly seen Sims make a gesture as if he had a gun, and punched and tased him until he showed his hands so they could cuff him.

Chief Young said Sims’ actions constituted “active aggression,” which officers are allowed to respond to with “whatever force necessary at that time to bring the situation quickly under control.”

Once Sims was taken into custody, they found he didn’t have a weapon on him and was under the influence of several drugs, including meth and heroin. He suffered some fractured facial bones and bleeding behind the eye during the incident.

The attorney representing Sims believes the officers’ actions were unconstitutional and a “gross use of excessive force.” He said they will soon be filing a case against the officers involved.

Lehi residents concerned about fiber optics installation plan

Lehi is hoping to ramp up construction for their new all-fiber high-speed internet network in a few weeks. However, some residents are pushing back against the project’s momentum, saying they’ve been left in the dark during the planning process. They also voiced concerns about the safety of the chosen location, 1100 W. 1400 S., which has ditches on both sides and a school and two churches close by.

Joel Eves, the city’s power department director, said at Tuesday’s city council meeting the city plans to prioritize safety, including to bury the ditch and widen the road to make the site better and safer for pedestrian traffic. He also said the chosen location had the least impact on neighboring communities.

The city hopes to have internet ready for some customers in the next few months with the project fully completed by summer 2025. They’re partnering with STRATA Networks, a Utah-based independent telecommunications cooperative and internet provider.

Duck is a general reporter and weekend announcer at UPR, and is studying broadcast journalism and disability studies at USU. They grew up in northern Colorado before moving to Logan in 2018, so the Rocky Mountain life is all they know. Free time is generally spent with their dog, Monty, listening to podcasts, reading or wishing they could be outside more.