SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 15, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Police officials have released video from officers’ body-worn cameras of the April 2 incident in which officers fired on a man they say threatened them with a knife.
The man was 36-year-old Cameron Ammon Cloward, originally described by police as being 35.
The incident happened at about 2:24 a.m. that Tuesday at a gas station-convenience store near 875 S. State. Information released Monday says a convenience store employee called dispatch saying a man, now known to be Cloward, “had a knife and tried to stab him through a window.
“Based on the employee’s statements to SLC911, Mr. Cloward may have committed an aggravated robbery by using, or threatening to use, a dangerous weapon during the commission of a robbery or attempted robbery.”
Officers arrived and found Cloward walking in the gas station’s parking lot, the police press release says.
“Officers could see Mr. Cloward holding a knife. Mr. Cloward started walking north from the gas station on the east sidewalk of State Street. Mr. Cloward turned around, faced officers, and began walking back into the gas station parking lot. Body-worn camera footage from one of the officers on scene captured him telling Mr. Cloward to stop walking toward the gas station.”
The footage shows Cloward holding his knife with the blade positioned under his chin. Officers gave repeated commands for Cloward to drop the knife, stop walking, and to get on the ground, the police statement says.
“Mr. Cloward refused the officers’ orders, and repeatedly said, ‘I don’t care.'” The SLCPD account says officers tried to put distance between themselves and Cloward, but he continued to disregard commands and took steps toward the officers.
“Four SLCPD officers used deadly force,” the police statement says. “Officers placed Mr. Cloward into custody and conducted a medical assessment. Gold Cross and Salt Lake City Fire confirmed Mr. Cloward died on scene.”
The dramatic videos released by the SLCPD captured multiple shots being fired, but the exact number was difficult to discern, prompting a warning from the SLCPD PR Unit.
“Media and community members should refrain from attempting to estimate the number of shots fired using sound references,” the PR statement said. “The total number of rounds fired during this incident will be determined and may be released by the protocol team upon the conclusion of the investigation.”
The age-restricted videos are disturbing, and show a pre-video screen that says says the videos can only be viewed on YouTube, and requires the viewer to read a screen that says “This video may be inappropriate for some users,” then to click on a link that says “I understand and wish to proceed.”
The links are immediately below, and will only work if on-screen instructions are followed. Viewer discretion is advised.
“This situation unfolded very quickly and involved safety risks to our community and officers. Our officers are trained to perceive, interpret, and respond to a person’s actions,” SLCPD Chief Mike Brown said in the Monday news release.
“The body-worn camera footage released today shows our officers urging, and ordering, Mr. Cloward to put down his knife and to stop walking toward them. Maintaining the safety of our community can be full of risk and unpredictability.”
The four SLCPD officers who used deadly force were placed on standard paid administrative leave. This case is being investigated by Salt Lake County OICI Protocol Team 4, which is led by the West Jordan Police Department.
Gephardt Daily will share more information as details and investigation results are released.
