https://www.facebook.com/slcpd/videos/755410885266347/
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 26, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Police officials have released three body cam videos from a July 15 officer-involved shooting, which began with a mental health call.
The victim — the subject of the call — was fatally shot, and one officer was shot by another officer’s bullet during the incident.
The deceased man was identified as Michael Brand, 43, by the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Officials are required to release body cam video within 10 business days of the incident in order to comply with an executive order from the mayor.
Capt. Ty Farillas, division commander for the Pioneer patrol division, said in the press conference Friday morning that dispatch received a call at 1:23 p.m. July 15 from a staff member at the Sunrise Metro Apartments, in the area of 580 S. 500 West. The call requested police for a male who had schizoaffective disorder, who was threatening staff and was “quote: going off the rails and being kind of aggressive and threatening,” Farillas said.
Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic mental health condition characterized primarily by symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations or delusions, and symptoms of a mood disorder, such as mania and depression.
Farillas said that at 1:28 p.m., two patrol officers were dispatched to the scene, and a third officer specializing in crisis intervention was requested and responded. Those three officers were accompanied by a case worker who works for Sunrise Metro apartments.
“The officers and case worker were looking to contact Michael Brand,” Farillas said. “Brand’s criminal history includes arrests for retail theft, intoxication, assault, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.”
The officers and case worker went to the fourth floor where Brand’s apartment was located.
“Two of the officers went to the west side of the apartment door and the third officer stayed on the east side,” Farillas said. The case worker was in front of the door and one officer knocked on the door, he said.
“As you will see, this incident unfolded in a matter of seconds,” Farillas went on. “Upon opening the door, Brand pointed what we now believe to be a paintball gun at the case worker and then at the officers.”
One of the body cam videos is then played. At the beginning of the video, the officers are seen proceeding along an outside walkway towards the apartment occupied by Brand. The officer wearing the body cam in this case is standing on the left side of the apartment door and the other officer on the left side knocks at the door. Brand then steps out of the door, shirtless, and first points the paintball gun at the case worker then the officers.
The video shows the case worker putting her hands up and backing away from Brand, as one of the officers on the left side of the door draws his weapon and fires.
The officer on the right side of the door swears, then says: “I’ve been shot, guys, I’ve been shot.” Brand is also visible lying on the ground. The two officers on the left side of the door then advance on Brand and the injured officer. The officer wearing the body cam video says: “You get him, you start helping him out,” referring to Brand. He then says: “I can help you,” to the injured officer.
The video ends there and a body cam video is shown from the other officer who stood on the left side of Brand’s door and who knocked on the door. After the shots are fired, he is heard saying into his radio “145, we’ve got an officer shot.” The body cam video is then shown from the officer who was injured. He is clearly heard saying: “I’ve been shot, guys…”
After the videos, Farillas went on to say: “In this incident one officer fired his weapon at Brand. Brand was struck by the gunfire as was the officer. As soon as the suspect was secured, medical treatment was rendered to the officer and Brand.”
Brand succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The officer who was struck was transported to an area hospital in fair condition. He was treated and released from the hospital a few hours later.
One officer is currently on paid administrative leave in accordance with standard protocol, and the injured officer is on leave as he recovers.
Unified Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office are conducting the investigation into the incident, as is protocol, and Farillas added that the investigation is still active and open. Separate investigations are being conducted by the city’s civilian review board and the SLCPD, he said.
Farillas said said the incident is SLCPD’s fourth OICI incident in 2019 and also the fourth fatal. It’s the second death that resulted from an officer’s use of force.
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
Can anyone tell me why why why the officers did not KNOCK AND ANNOUNCE their presence? Why did they use a childish civilian knock? I can’t honestly believe anyone would go up against cops with a toy gun. I feel like it all could’ve been prevented had they told Michael they were the police. Michael has been kicked around his entire life. Bc he is mentally sick ppl have stolen from him, beat him up, taken advantage of him, they even steal his medication. If you watch other videos in slow motion, he looks confused. There’s no telling who he thought was on the other side of that door, in a neighborhood full of criminals and addicts. That toy was all he had to appear to protect himself. I just want to know why they didn’t ANNOUNCE themselves. It appears they were laid back and unprepared. No one seems to notice that they didn’t follow knock and ANNOUNCE protocol. Michael was not a brave man. He was sick man. In slow motion the toy gun went down before the cop behind him startled him, then it came back up. I just want an answer.
Michael was a caring giving man. I miss you already my brother.
Im very sorry to those for the loss of a dear friend and loved one.
I think we meed a lot more details before we know if this shooting was justified.
1) Who called and where was this person?
2) Did this person say he/she would be back?
3) Why is it ok for people with severe mental illness to be denied new meds for the month if they report theirs stolen?
4) Was Michael a combat veteran? If so he should be living in some home in a nice suburb somewhere like He deserves.
5) Whomever stole his medication, if he was out, is guilty of murder. Find him/her. Most of the time people know who’s stealing their meds.
I am surprised to say that this is the first of many body cam videos that was *possibly a justified shooting by an officer.
That said, deaths will continue to happen as long as people aren’t able to be medicated properly and as long as we keep our honorable veterans of war in beautiful but dangerous environments.
Im beey sorry for the case manager at the complex who was traumatized by this event as well.
Ill be looking into this citizen review committee. The frame by frame of the past 3 officer shootings are indisputably murders. There are solutions for that, too, but theyre forced back to work too soon in too many cases, even when they KNOW and Explain they are not ready yet. They aren’t soldiers. They’re officers. Soldiers cant serve and protect. Their job is different.
So many things could’ve prevented this. It’s devastating.