Shooter has a conceal permit

By Pat Reavy
Deseret News
Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008 12:02 a.m. MDT
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Salt Lake police say the man who shot and killed a homeless man in an apparent case of self-defense had a concealed weapons permit.

More information about the fatal incident was released by police Friday.

Mike Mays, 47, was walking along West Temple just before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday when he stopped in front of Mama's Southern Plantation Restaurant, 1394 S. West Temple, and yelled at the people eating lunch on the patio, "What the (expletive) are you looking at?" according to police.

Mays and a security guard, George Harrison, 59, got into an argument, according to police.

Mays dropped his backpack and then intimated that he was reaching for a gun as he approached Harrison in an "aggressive" manner, according to witnesses.

Harrison, who is a concealed weapons permit holder, drew his weapon and fired once at Mays, striking him in the chest and killing him. Mays' body was covered with a white blanket as it lay on the ground in the street while Salt Lake police detectives talked to witnesses and collected evidence.

Harrison stayed at the scene and waited for police to arrive. Investigators said he was cooperative with them and up-front about what had happened.

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Mays was not carrying a gun, said Salt Lake police detective Jeff Bedard. But investigators declined to arrest Harrison, saying that Mays contributed to the confrontation that led to his own death. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office will also review the evidence to determine if any charges should be filed.

E-mail: preavy@desnews.com

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Recent comments

The "security guards" at Mamas Plantation restaurant are...

Rob | July 16, 2008 at 12:49 p.m.

YAY! I'm so glad that this guy wasn't charged with anything...

Anonymous | July 12, 2008 at 3:25 p.m.

Ya, this is outrageous. I'm on the side of the raving lunatic...

Outrageous? | July 12, 2008 at 1:39 p.m.