FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 29, 2025

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SLCPD Arrest Man, 24, Accused of Aggravated Assault Targeting Two Police Officers

SALT LAKE CITY — Detectives with the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) have arrested a 24-year-old man who is accused of aggravated assault against two police officers.

This investigation started around 7:30 p.m. on March 28, 2025, when VCAT detectives conducted a traffic stop at 1338 West California Avenue.

During the stop, detectives discovered the driver, later identified as Austin Jeffery Giles, was driving on a suspended license.

Detectives asked Giles to step out of the vehicle. As detectives prepared to conduct a standard safety check, he jumped back into the driver’s seat and tried several times to drive off, revving the engine while a female passenger attempted to stop him.

Despite repeated commands to stop, Giles eventually got the car into drive and sped off. In doing so, he is accused of placing officers directly in the path of the moving car, creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury.

with a history of running from officers and obstructing law enforcement. According to court documents, Giles is a documented gang member.

VCAT detectives found Giles on Friday, May 23, 2025, and booked him into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail.

He is charged with two counts of aggravated assault targeting law enforcement with bodily injury and one count each of failing to respond to an officer’s signal to stop and driving on a suspended or revoked license.

Charges are only allegations, and every arrested person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is not the custodian of record for jail booking photos. Utah Code 17-22-30 mostly prohibits the release of jail booking photos. Generally, a jail booking photo can only be released by the custodian of record after a conviction or when law enforcement determines the person is a fugitive or an imminent threat to a person or public safety. In Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of record for jail booking photos.

The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) focuses on identifying and arresting violent offenders and fugitives throughout the city. As part of the Special Operations Division, VCAT works closely with SLCPD’s Investigations, Patrol, Data and Research, and Crime Intelligence and Analysis units to target crime hotspots and respond to emerging violent crime trends. By coordinating with the Salt Lake Information Center and other specialized teams, VCAT plays a key role in disrupting repeat offenders and enhancing public safety.

The information contained in this news release is based on a preliminary review of the details available to the Salt Lake City Police Department. As the investigation progresses, information may change.

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