Salt Lake City, UT – The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced this week that it would not file charges against the officers involved in the 2022 death of Megan Mohn, but instead revealed a new initiative aimed at enhancing police training related to medical emergencies that led to her death.
During a Tuesday press conference, District Attorney Sim Gill explained that, while Mohn’s death was ruled a homicide, the evidence available did not support the idea that the officers’ actions directly caused her death. Gill noted that Mohn’s cause of death was attributed to “anoxic brain injury” due to cardiac arrest, likely triggered by methamphetamine intoxication during a physical altercation with police. However, the district attorney’s office struggled to determine whether the drugs or the officers’ restraint contributed more significantly to the fatal outcome. As a result, they decided against filing charges.
“We could not establish a direct causal link between the officers’ actions and her death,” said Gill. “These officers acted within the scope of their training and policies.”
The incident that led to Mohn’s death occurred on January 11, 2022, after police responded to a trespassing report. Officers found Mohn walking with rebar near the intersection of 400 West and 900 North. When confronted, she dropped the rebar but was arrested and handcuffed. Body camera footage from the officers showed Mohn becoming agitated, resisting the officers, and repeatedly shouting for help. The officers restrained her by pinning her chest to the ground and shackling her legs.
Shortly after 3:40 a.m., Mohn’s movements ceased, and it became apparent she was unresponsive. Officers called for medical assistance, performed multiple evaluations, and administered chest compressions. She was transported to the hospital, where she remained in a coma for 19 days before passing away.
The death was later ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, who cited cardiac arrest due to methamphetamine use in the context of physical restraint. Still, Gill’s office maintained that it was unclear whether the drugs or the restraint played the more significant role in her death.
At the press conference, Gill also introduced experts to discuss a phenomenon known as “excited delirium,” now recognized in medical circles as a catecholamine surge. According to Amanda O’Driscoll, a nurse practitioner and medical consultant, this surge of neurotransmitters, like adrenaline and dopamine, causes a person to become agitated and delirious. O’Driscoll emphasized that law enforcement officers often encounter individuals in the midst of such medical emergencies, yet they may not be trained to handle the situation appropriately.
Describing the condition as a “redlining engine,” O’Driscoll explained that the body becomes overwhelmed with stress, and as a result, the individual may exhibit erratic behavior. The person may not be suffering from a lack of oxygen, but rather from a dangerous buildup of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. If restrained during this state, the risk of death increases significantly.
O’Driscoll stressed that individuals in excited delirium require urgent medical attention, including the ability to breathe deeply and freely without restraint, in order to avoid death. Yet, she said, officers often receive outdated training based on misconceptions, such as the idea that if a person can speak, they are still breathing.
In light of the growing number of deaths in police custody linked to similar medical conditions, O’Driscoll, Gill, and West Jordan Police Chief Ken Wallentine are working to implement a new training initiative aimed at preventing future deaths.
The training will focus on teaching law enforcement officers to recognize signs of catecholamine surges and to avoid physical restraint until medical professionals arrive on the scene. Officers will also learn how to manage individuals in crisis in a way that reduces the risk of harm, including strategies for keeping the person contained without escalating the situation.
Chief Wallentine, who also spoke at the press conference, acknowledged that many police officers have been taught outdated principles regarding the physical handling of suspects. He emphasized the need for law enforcement agencies to evolve their practices in response to emerging medical research.
“We have an opportunity to change behavior by providing officers with the most current, medically-backed training available,” said Gill. “It would be unfair to expect a change in practices without giving officers the tools and knowledge to adapt.”
A Commitment to Reform
The new initiative will be funded by the District Attorney’s Office, with the aim of providing local law enforcement agencies with resources to implement these updated training programs. This move comes in response to growing concerns over the number of deaths in custody, often involving cases where individuals in distress are restrained by police officers unaware of the specific medical risks they pose.
Gill’s office has expressed its commitment to supporting law enforcement in adapting to current medical understanding, aiming to prevent further fatalities like Mohn’s. The new training initiative will be available to all local police departments willing to participate.
As the investigation into Mohn’s death concluded without criminal charges, officials are hopeful that the reform efforts will reduce the risk of similar tragedies in the future.