The Unified Police Department, which patrols Millcreek, led the independent investigation into a fatal West Jordan standoff that Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill ruled justified on Friday, Sept. 4.

Gill said nine officers who fired their weapons during a Sept. 2, 2025, standoff will not face charges. The officers fired a combined 81 rounds (53 from rifles and 28 from handguns), killing 26-year-old Elhelbawy Adam Idrees, Hoodline reported.

The shooting "was not unjustified," Gill said, according to Gephardt Daily.

How the standoff unfolded

The incident began when a man called 911 reporting someone was threatening him "with a machine gun" at a house at 1889 W. 7265 South in West Jordan, according to Gill's report as cited by KSL.

Idrees had recently been released from federal prison and was staying with someone who rented space at the house. Three women who left the residence told police Idrees had not slept in three days and had been using methamphetamine.

One woman remained inside.

Investigators learned Idrees had an outstanding arrest warrant tied to a shooting conviction. An Adult Probation and Parole officer warned responding law enforcement to use "extreme caution," saying Idrees "was very dangerous and most likely wouldn't want to go back to prison," according to Gill's report.

Police positioned two armored vehicles in front of the home and placed snipers on nearby rooftops. About five hours after the 911 call, officers deployed tear gas and sent in a police K-9 to try to move Idrees away from an AR-15-style rifle.

Idrees had agreed to exit unarmed. Instead, he walked out the front door holding the rifle pointed downward. Body-camera footage and officer accounts show he began raising the weapon. Officers opened fire.

Idrees died at the scene.

Idrees's Millcreek history

Idrees also had a prior history with Unified Police in Millcreek. In February 2018, at age 19, he was arrested by Unified Police after allegedly shooting an 18-year-old man three times outside a smoke shop in Millcreek, Hoodline reported. He pleaded guilty to second-degree felony discharge of a firearm and received a suspended prison sentence with three years of probation.

He violated probation within four months. His probation was revoked in August 2019, leading to a prison term. A 2022 federal guilty plea for being a restricted person in possession of a firearm added a sentence of up to 15 years.

Idrees was released from federal prison May 23, 2025. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole issued an arrest warrant Aug. 29, 2025, after he absconded from supervision and allegedly stole a car. The fatal standoff came four days later.

The nine officers cleared were members of the Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG), an interagency tactical unit combining West Jordan Police SWAT officers with Utah Highway Patrol troopers. Eight were West Jordan police personnel. One was a State Bureau of Investigation detective.

Gill's ruling rested on Utah Code § 76-2-404, which holds that a peace officer is legally justified in using deadly force when the officer reasonably believes it necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury.

UPD's role in the investigation stems from Salt Lake County's Officer-Involved Critical Incident (OICI) protocol, established in 2015. The protocol requires an independent task force from an outside agency to investigate before findings go to the district attorney. UPD is one of three agencies, along with Salt Lake City Police and West Valley City Police, that maintain standing OICI teams under the county protocol.

No response from Millcreek city officials or the UPD Millcreek Precinct regarding the ruling has been reported.