Released affadavit gives detailed look into Darrien Hunt’s shooting and further investigations
SARATOGA SPRINGS – In light of public autopsy information released Tuesday, a search warrant affidavit for Darrien Hunt was released Wednesday, giving more information as to the events behind the man’s deadly encounter with Saratoga Springs police.
The report gave extensive details into Cpl. Matt Schauerhamer and officer Nicholas Judson’s Sept. 10 encounter with Hunt near a Panda Express in Saratoga Springs.
It was filed by Utah County Attorney’s Office investigators seeking to go through Hunt’s cell phone and social media pages. The affidavit states his cell phone was his primary means of communication and could be used to find important information about Hunt.
On his Facebook page, a post was supposedly made by Hunt on the day he was killed that stated, “I have a sword and I’m going to get shot.”
The search warrant states that after officers received the call on Hunt acting suspiciously, supposedly waving around a samurai sword, officers asked Hunt to place the sword on the hood of the patrol car.
“Mr. Hunt refused, saying, ‘I can’t do that,'” the affidavit states. He told officers he wouldn’t because it was his sword. Hunt was supposedly waiting for a ride to Orem, and Schauerhamer told him he could give him a ride, but that he would have to put the sword down first. He refused.
The affidavit states Hunt then drew his sword and started swinging it as he moved toward Schauerhamer. One witness, Melanie Wride, said it appeared to her Hunt swung the sword at Schauerhamer’s stomach “very hard” and Schauerhamer had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck.
Schauerhamer reportedly drew his firearm and started firing at Hunt, and Judson moved away from Hunt and drew his firearm as well and fired one shot.
About a minute later, the affidavit reads, “Schauerhamer yelled, ‘SHOTS FIRED!'” over the radio. Hunt was reportedly running toward a nearby Walmart. The affidavit states Schauerhamer knew he had to stop Hunt before he made it to the parking lot and could harm himself and others.
Schauerhamer fired three shots at Hunt, who dropped the sheath and fell to the ground. His sword slid along the ground several feet from where he dropped.
The autopsy report released Tuesday said Hunt was shot six times before he died.
His brother, Kerahn “KJ” Hunt, was interviewed later that day, and told officers the sword was indeed a Katana sword, not a toy sword as previous articles have stated. It was dull, but he told officers it could hurt someone if it was swung hard enough.
Hunt also had a drug problem, his brother said, and had been using marijuana for about five years, and was taking other hallucinogenic drugs that “made him feel like he was dreaming.” But the autopsy report determined there were no drugs in Hunt’s system at the time of the shooting.
The affidavit states Hunt was also arrested in January for drunkenly threatening his mother, saying “I want everyone dead, and I’m going to kill you.” When he was arrested, he was also given a psychological evaluation.
Hunt was also reportedly obsessively communicating with a woman from Orem. The affidavit states after the two met on Facebook and went on a date in July, Hunt texted and called her obsessively until the woman’s mother threatened to call the police if he spoke with her daughter again.
The attorney’s office intends to release the results of its investigation into the shooting next week.


