This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Reports about West Valley City police killing an unarmed young woman in her car raise more questions than they answer ("Unsealed search warrants say woman killed by Utah police had illegal drugs," Tribune, March 23; "Like shooting victim's mother, we want answers," March 24).
Why did it take more than four months to release an account of what happened?
Why did the detectives, having witnessed a probable drug sale, go after the user rather than the dealer?
When approaching a car in which the driver was suspected of taking a powerful drug, why did Detective Shaun Cowley position himself where he could be hit by the car?
When jogging, I know to watch out for cars backing up, yet an experienced detective walks up behind a car in which the driver likely is out of her mind? His injury justifies shooting the driver but doesn't require medical care?
Did they have to shoot the girl in the head? If they are that close, they could have shot the tires and radiator.
Danielle Willard was a junkie, but I'm sure she was much more than that. She was trying to clean up. Maybe next time she would have made it.
Robert Argenbright
Salt Lake City