SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 16, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A 43-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to more than nine years in prison and three years of supervised release after a federal jury found him guilty of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents and a news release issued by the FBI Salt Lake City Office, Brandon Keith Thompson was convicted after an incident involving a Sandy store on July 8, 2021.
Dispatch was alerted to a theft in progress, the news release says.
“When the officers arrived, employees identified Thompson as the suspected shoplifter,” it says. “Thompson fled the store. Two officers with the Sandy Police Department chased Thompson in the parking lot and stopped him.
“Thompson grabbed an officer’s firearm, which was holstered, and pulled on it with such force that the firearm began to move up out of the holster. A bystander observed the struggle and rushed forward to help the officers keep Thompson from gaining control of the firearm and potentially using it against the officers.
“Thompson placed his finger on the trigger and fired the weapon, which was still partially holstered. The bullet came within inches of striking the bystander and officers.”
Thompson maintained his grip on the firearm and continued to pull on it as officers and the bystander attempted to gain control of the firearm and Thompson, the statement says.
“After a violent struggle, the officers and bystander secured the firearm and placed Thompson into custody. Thompson had previously been convicted of a felony. This is Thompson’s third federal conviction for the unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.”
“Thompson’s behavior threatened the lives of police officers and bystanders in a busy parking lot,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah in the news release.
“This case highlights the valuable and ongoing relationship between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners as we continue to seek justice for federal offenders whose actions put law enforcement and the community in danger.”
The Sandy City Police Department also released a statement.
“We are extremely grateful for the countless hours of hard work of everyone involved in this case. We are especially thankful for Assistant United States Attorneys, Angela Clifford and Jennifer Muyskens, for their diligence in the pursuit of justice for this deliberate act of indifference against a law enforcement officer.”
Brent Beavers, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent in charge, praised the Sandy City Police officers.
“Everyday law enforcement officers are confronted with life and death situations in order to protect their communities,” Beavers said. “We are fortunate and grateful this case was not deadly for the officer or other innocent bystanders.”
This case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant United States Attorneys Angela J. Clifford and Jennifer K. Muyskens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
