POLICE Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

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.

January 12, 2015
Video: Utah Officer's Shooting of Man Who Hit Him with a Shovel Sparks Protest

 

Ad Loading...

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."



Ad Loading...

More Patrol

center circle image of PTSD Help Expanded surrounded by military and first responder images
PatrolNovember 11, 2025

Police-Led Mental Health Charity Expands to Include Veterans

Talk To Me Post Tour (TTMPT), a non-profit organization that has been providing peer-support programs and professional psychological support for first responders, is now expanding services to military veterans.

Read More →
police officer holding a folded flag and headline for Officer Killed
PatrolNovember 10, 2025

WakeMed Campus Police Officer Killed in Hospital Shooting

A WakeMed Campus Police Officer died after being shot in the lobby of the emergency department at a North Carolina hospital over the weekend.

Read More →
Black background with blue graphic outline of state of Florida and headline Video Released: barricaded Suspect Falls Through Ceiling and Into SWAT Custody.
PatrolNovember 10, 2025

Video Shows Barricaded Suspect Fall Through Ceiling and Into SWAT Custody

Deputies in Indian River County, Florida, apprehended a suspect after he fell through the ceiling with SWAT members waiting below. The sheriff’s department released video of the apprehension.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thumbnail for video series POLICE From the Show Floor featuring T2 Systems.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamNovember 10, 2025

From the Show Floor: T2 Systems

Learn about T2 Systems and its electronic parking enforcement solutions. Retired Chief John Holland outlines the benefits of using such a system to manage parking enforcement.

Read More →
view of a mobile observation trailer deployed in a parking lot against a blue sky
Patrolby Wayne ParhamNovember 10, 2025

Texas Pollice Department Adds Reconview Tower

A Texas police chief shares how the Decatur Police Department will use its new Reconview observation tower.

Read More →
Thumbnail for POLICE video From theShow Floor: Traka
Patrolby Wayne ParhamOctober 30, 2025

From the Show Floor: Traka

Join POLICE as we visit with Steve Atkinson of Traka and learn about the company’s asset management cabinets and key lockers.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
image of conference stage top left, inset image of two men standing at right, and lower left logo for Team Wendy
PatrolOctober 29, 2025

Team Wendy Shares New DREW Data During Personal Armour Systems Symposium

Team Wendy shared data about DREW, a biofidelic helmet-test rig built to simulate real head-to-ground falls and capture both linear and rotational head motion, during the recent Personal Armour Systems Symposium in Belgium.

Read More →
Images for three athletes - discus, weightlifting, baseball, and inset image of San Diego highway sign and logo for 2026 US Police and Fire Championships.
PatrolOctober 28, 2025

2026 US Police and Fire Championships to Unite First Responders in San Diego for 59th Annual Event

The 2026 US Police and Fire Championships, featuring more than 35 Olympic-style events and new competitions, will return to San Diego, California.

Read More →
Collage of police officers and a firefighter with FOX & Frends logo.
PatrolOctober 27, 2025

FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends to Host Live Audience for National First Responders Day

In honor of National First Responders Day, FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends will host a live audience made up of first responders and their families. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel have been invited to attend the live program.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
patrolfinder - reducing crime thumbnail
SponsoredOctober 27, 2025

How One Police Department Cut Crime by 46% with Smarter Patrol Management

Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.

Read More →