Officer cleared in West Valley City shooting of man who killed parents

The footage shown in the video player above contains graphic material unsuitable to some viewers. Viewer discretion advised.

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC4) — The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file criminal charges against officers involved in a police shooting that occurred in West Valley City in January 2025.

On Jan. 1, Erik Bertelsen, 35, was shot and killed by a West Valley City police officer after he killed his parents in his West Valley home.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said the officer who pulled the trigger was following protocol when he shot Bertelsen. The incident began with a 911 call lasting nearly 15 minutes long. It captured the moment that the assault occurred. The call came in shortly after 5:12 p.m. on Jan. 1.

West Valley City police officers arrived on scene and saw Bertelsen through a basement window. Around 30 seconds later, an officer fired at Bertelsen, resulting in his death.

Bertelsen had a criminal history and was released from prison just two weeks before this incident, police said. He also had a welfare check just days before. While the officer was simply following protocol, Gill said he believes this incident could have been prevented.

“I’ve done over 150 reviews now, and and the national statistics are that one in four shootings involve somebody who’s mentally ill,” Gill said. “Our experience in Salt Lake County, from my experience, is probably between 30% to 40% of the shootings that we’ve looked at.”

Bertelsen was suffering from mental health issues, according to Gill. While unjustified, he said this played a part in Bertelsen’s actions that day.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file criminal charges for Jan. 1, 2025, use of deadly force by West Valley City Police Department against Erik Roland Bertelsen.