Some claims dismissed, but key ones remain, in Dillon Taylor lawsuit against Salt Lake City

The family of Dillon Taylor — who was shot and killed in 2014 by a Salt Lake City police officer — narrowed their lawsuit against the city on Friday. 

The family agreed with Salt Lake City to dismiss their claims of wrongful death and denial of family association, according to motion filed Friday in federal court. 

Two claims remain. The family still contends Officer Bron Cruz used excessive force when he shot and killed Taylor on Aug. 11, 2014 outside a convenience store near 2100 South and State Street. There also remains an excessive force claim against Salt Lake City itself. 

Taylor’s killing set of a series of protests in Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake, where the shooting took place. 

Attorneys for Salt Lake City, in court filings, have said the officers' conduct "was objectively reasonable and was justified under the totality of the circumstances."

Prosecutors found the shooting to be legally justified because a 911 caller near the store had said Taylor, his brother and his cousin were acting suspiciously and “flashing” a gun; when the officers found the trio at the store, Taylor did not immediately respond to Cruz’s orders to stop and show his hands, instead keeping his hands in his pants and walking away.

When Taylor did turn around and pull out his hands, Cruz shot him once in the chest and once in the abdomen. Taylor later was found to be carrying no gun, but he was wearing headphones, apparently attached to a phone in his pocket.

While the store was in South Salt Lake, it was near the border with Salt Lake City, and officers from there responded to the 911 call. 

In April 2016, Dillon Taylor's brother and cousin settled their portion of the lawsuit. Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County jointly paid a total of $85,000 to the brother, Jerrail Taylor, and the cousin, Adam Thayne — who claimed they were unlawfully detained by police after the shooting. The two were handcuffed and detained for more than five hours, even though neither was suspected of a crime, the lawsuit claims.