Utah: Man killed in police encounter; video reveals lack of de-escalation

A caller to 911 in Salt Lake City mentioned a person had come right into a brewery in his underwear, tried to steal beer and was operating round on the street, posing a hazard to himself and to drivers. Police tried to detain the person. Soon, Nykon Brandon was useless.

After the Salt Lake City Police Department on Friday launched body-camera footage of the Aug. 14 deadly encounter and the 911 recording, activists on Saturday have been asking why an unarmed individual wound up useless and have been accusing police of utilizing disproportionate power.

“Stealing a beer does not equate to the death penalty,” mentioned Lex Scott, founding father of Black Lives Matter-Utah. “I don’t care if this man robbed 10 banks in one day. He didn’t deserve to die. He deserved to make it to court.”

The loss of life of Brandon, who was 35, comes because the United States continues to be seeing uncounted numbers of police killings of unarmed folks, lots of whom have been struggling a psychological well being disaster. Activists have referred to as for reforms, saying reasonably than armed police who can usually escalate conditions, a greater resolution could be for particular psychological well being disaster groups to reply.

Brandon’s Facebook web page says he’d attended Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and labored for a agency that sells home equipment, plumbing and {hardware}. Many individuals who posted on his web page expressed shock and grief over his loss of life.

The 911 caller mentioned a person had come to Fisher Brewing, attacked an individual on the door and was “running around crazy. Very erratic. He just jumped in and out of the road.”

“Definitely mental health issues,” the caller mentioned. “So if you’ve got mental health resources, send them out.”Instead, bodycam footage reveals a police officer get out of his patrol automobile and order Brandon to cease. When he resists and places up a fist and seems to succeed in for the officer’s holstered pistol, one other officer pushes Brandon to the bottom and the 2 officers attempt to pin him down. “Stop,” one of many officers says repeatedly as Brandon is on a gravel mattress between the street and the sidewalk and persevering with to push in opposition to the officers.

No de-escalation makes an attempt by the police are seen or audible within the footage from 9 body-worn cameras, regardless that an govt order signed by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall two years in the past requires all Salt Lake City Police Department officers to make use of de-escalation methods earlier than utilizing power.

“De-escalation tactics are no longer suggested or preferred — they are mandatory prior to using force to effect an arrest unless it would be unreasonable to do so,” Mendenhall mentioned in saying the police reforms, which have been prompted partially by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020. Salt Lake City Police Department spokesperson Brent Weisberg mentioned of the Aug. 14 incident: “As the body-worn camera video shows, this is a situation that rapidly unfolded. It was a chaotic situation and our officers were required to make very fast decisions to get a situation under control that was very tense.”

Before Brandon walked into Fisher Brewing, he had been taken by South Salt Lake Police to a detox facility after they obtained a report of a person appearing confused and scared at a park simply after 1 p.m. on Aug. 14, KUTV reported. Officers decided he was intoxicated, took him to the power and cited him for public intoxication. But the power isn’t a detention middle and sufferers can depart at their will, KUTV reported.

The Salt Lake City Police Department officers encountered Brandon at 3:22 p.m. In the movies, he’s not heard talking throughout his struggles with the officers, aside from perhaps a few phrases which are unclear. A minute later, a 3rd officer arrives. Video reveals Brandon grabbing onto his holster and gun. They lastly handle to cuff Brandon’s arms behind his again as he lies on the gravel stomach down.“We want to help you,” an officer says. “You’ve got to stop fighting with us.”

After a number of seconds, Brandon stops transferring. An officer faucets Brandon on the shoulder together with his gloved hand and asks “Can you hear me?” thrice. Brandon doesn’t reply.“Get him in recovery,” an officer instructions, and the others roll Brandon onto his aspect.“Come on man,” an officer says. All the digicam footage launched by the police goes darkish at that time.

Salt Lake City Police mentioned in a press launch that officers started to carry out medical help at 3:27 p.m. A minute later, they administered the primary of a number of doses of Narcan and began performing chest compressions. “At 4:16 p.m. SLCPD is notified that Mr. Brandon died. The exact time of death is unknown,” the information launch mentioned.

The police division mentioned a radical investigation was being carried out by an out of doors company and that the division’s personal inside affairs unit would conduct a separate investigation.

Rae Duckworth, working chairperson for Black Lives Matter’s Utah chapters, needs to know why the launched footage doesn’t present the officers making an attempt to assist Brandon.“We don’t even have proof they actually administered aid. We don’t have proof that they actually administered Narcan,” Duckworth mentioned.

Weisberg, the police spokesperson, mentioned footage of the resuscitation efforts was not launched out of consideration for Brandon’s household.