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OGDEN, Utah, April 25, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Ogden City Police Chief Eric Young on Tuesday addressed a Saturday afternoon suspect takedown, which was recorded by a bystander and posted on social media, and which has sparked widespread public accusations of excessive force used by officers.
Suspect Shawn D. Lane Sims, 30, was walking in the roadway near 1700 S. Washington Blvd. when he was told by officers to stop, Young said. Sims did not stop, and made hand motions that suggested to officers on the scene that he might be trying to retrieve a weapon from his waistband, Young said.
“Ogden police officers, two of them riding in one car, two of them riding in another car, saw a man later identified as Shawn Sims walking in traffic near 17th and Washington Boulevard, out in traffic where it was a dangerous situation,” Young said. “The officers decided to turn around and approach Mr. Sims to find out why he was walking in traffic. They activated red and blue overhead lights.
“Mr. Sims appeared to observe the officers and immediately reached into his waistband. This led officers to believe that he was accessing a gun. Sims quickly withdrew his hand from his waistband and pushed it out under a shirt in this manner as if he was pointing a gun at the police officers underneath the shirt.”
“Officers commanded Sims to stop. Sims turned and ran from officers continuing to push his hand into his waistband. And as officers began to approach, he bladed his body towards officers, pushing his hand into his waistband and taking a stance that led officers to believe he was about to withdraw a weapon and fire.”
(To blade your body means to turn at least part of it sideways, to make yourself a smaller target.)
“The officer feared that Sims had a gun and intended to harm him,” Young continued. “Sims was not following the officer’s commands. The officer decided to take things to the ground and commanded him to release his hands from his waistband. Sims responded by rolling onto his stomach, reaching both of his hands in his waistband and refusing to remove them.”
The accompanying officer and the two arriving in the second police car acted to pin and subdue Sims. One officer Tased Sims twice, and two of the four officers struck Sims multiple times until he could be handcuffed, Young said, adding that no additional blows were struck after Sims was cuffed.
In a subsequent search, no weapons were found on Sims. In a recorded phone call with his mother, released on Facebook by Ogden City Police, Sims admitted he was under the influence of drugs. The recording contains a warning to call participants that they were being recorded.
Sims was taken to a local hospital to be checked out before he was booked into the Weber County jail. Young said Sims was treated for some facial fractures and bleeding behind his eyes.
A reporter asked the Chief if Sims was found to have a broken nose and some vision loss, as stated in a GoFundMe account that says it is seeking funds to hire a lawyer for Sims.
Young said he had stated the facts as he knew them.
As for accusations of excessive force, Young said the following:
“Something I want to make you aware of as we get into this, so arrest is defined under Utah code in Section 77-7-7 is an actual restraint and submission in custody, and it says the person shall not be subjected to more restraint than is necessary for his arrest and detention.”
That code states in part that “If a person is being arrested and flees or forcibly resists after being informed of the intention to make the arrest, the person arresting may use reasonable force to effect the arrest. Deadly force may be used only as provided in Section 76-2-404.”
Young said the officers acted well within code boundaries, and no administrative actions against them are warranted.
Sims was charged on suspicion of:
- Four counts of possession of a controlled substance schedule I/II/analog, a third-degree felony
- Failure to stop at the command of a law officer, a class A misdemeanor
- Interference with arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor
- Intoxication, a class C misdemeanor
- Prohibited activities by a pedestrian, an infraction
Sims was ordered held without bail in the Weber County Jail, where he remains as of Tuesday.
