Defendant shot dead in courtroom after attacking witness with a pen

Dramatic scenes in a court room resulted in a man being shot to death in front of the jury.

15:15 22 April 2014

A US marshal opened fire in a Utah court room, gunning down the defendant in a gang-related trial after the man apparently lunged towards a witness while brandishing a pen as a weapon. 

 

The FBI stated that the man was thrusting the pen in "an aggressive, threatening manner". 

 

It is standard procedure that defendants are not restrained while in the courtroom. 

 

Siale Angilau, 25, was shot multiple times - at least one time in the chest - during the ordeal and was pronounced dead in hospital a short while later. The witness emerged unscathed. 

 

He was on trial in a 29-count indictment stemming from 2010 with charges ranging from conspiracy to robbery and weapons offences. Over a dozen other apparent gang members were named in the trial. 

 

Perry Caldwell was inside the Salt Lake City courtroom and stated that he heard at least six shots.