VIDEO: Utah Officer's Shooting of Man Who Hit Him with a Shovel Sparks Protest
Video: Utah Officer's Shooting of Man Who Hit Him with a Shovel Sparks Protest
Nearly 200 people gathered outside the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building Saturday afternoon in memory of James Dudley Barker, who was shot and killed last Thursday by a police officer after he attacked and injured the officer with a shovel.

Nearly 200 people gathered outside the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building Saturday afternoon in memory of James Dudley Barker, who was shot and killed last Thursday by a police officer after he attacked and injured the officer with a shovel.
The group Utah Against Police Brutality called for the protest to answer questions about officer training as it relates to restraint and de-escalation and ask for an external investigation of the shooting.
Friday evening police released body-cam footage of the encounter between Barker and the officer, who responded to 3rd Avenue and I Street after a concerned neighbor called police concerned about the actions of Barker.
The 90-second video clip does show a conversation between the responding officer, who police have not identified, and Barker. The officer tries to ascertain what Barker is doing in the neighborhood. Barker says he's there to do snow removal, yet there is little snow in the neighborhood and a concerned caller questioned why he was going door to door. Barker gets increasingly agitated and at one point begins screaming at the officer.
The video clip shows Barker striking the officer with a snow shovel, sending him to the ground, disabling the body camera and injuring the officer, who suffered fractured bones in an arm and in a foot. The officer then fires his gun, killing Barker, the fatal moment not caught on the now broken camera, police said.
Ian Adams, spokesman for the Utah Fraternal Order of Police and a West Jordan police officer, told KSL TV the video is a clear example of an officer "doing his job."
"Officers have a job to do, and frankly the amount of victim blaming on the officer is ridiculous and doesn't leave much air in the room for a rational discussion," Adams said. "That officer did nothing to provoke such an aggravated assault."
More Patrol

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility
The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.
Read More →Tips for Watching the Hands
How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.
Read More →10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops
What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.
Read More →
Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software
Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.
Read More →
Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops
A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.
Read More →From the Show Floor: InVeris
In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.
Read More →From the Show Floor: Polaris Government & Defense
Learn about Polaris Government & Defense in this video as POLICE visits their show booth to discover their side-by-sides and the advantages they provide for agencies.
Read More →
2026 Ford Pro™ Police & Special Service Vehicles Guide is Available for Download
Ford Pro™ meets the needs of law-enforcement agencies
Read More →
Dashcam Video Shows Officers Rescue Man from Burning Car
Dashcam video released by a New Jersey police department shows two of its officers rescuing an unconscious man from a burning car after a crash.
Read More →
Aimpoint COA optic + A-CUT Named Red Dot of the Year
The Aimpoint COA optic + A-CUT system has been named Red Dot of the Year by Guns & Ammo magazine. The new optic system was introduced in January 2025.
Read More →
