Farmington Police in Utah recently released officer body camera footage in the March 1 fatal police shooting of Chase Allan. The video release, posted by Police Activity, answered several questions posed by the deceased’s family, along with the general public.
Chase Allan Fatal Police Shooting Video Released
The footage chronicles the 25-year-old Allan as he seemingly refuses to cooperate or comply with police north of Salt Lake City. Footage shows at least five officers open fire into the suspect’s vehicle. The traffic stop turned violent when Allan refused to comply with the responding officer’s demands.
“I don’t need registration and I don’t answer questions,” Allan answers back after being asked about his plate and questionable registration.
“The direction this encounter goes is 100-percent in your hands,” warns the officer.
Then Allan appears to pivot toward cooperating, providing a passport for the responding officer. But when asked to exit the vehicle, he immediately turns defiant once more. That’s when a second officer threatens to break out the windows to pull the suspect out of the car.
Video then shows Allan appear to switch the phone in his hand, seemingly reaching. During a recent press conference, police showed a compilation of video, zooming in on Allan’s hand movements. Allan moves his strong hand toward his hip, likely pulling a firearm (unseen) from his holster. A lpolice photo would later show a pistol on the floorboard, in the driver’s side of the vehicle. Footage shows an empty holster on Allan’s hip as officers drag his body from the car.
Apparent Justified Shooting
This police shooting followed the recent predictable pattern of family and then public outrage, similar to the outrage that led to a tremendous increase in crime due to diminished police forces. Family accused police of holding back info to the public. But video suggests the suspect acted noncompliant, then allegedly pulled a pistol. The video evidence suggests he intended to pull on the officers. So in this case, the shooting appears justified, based on the provided evidence at hand.
“Officers exhausted multiple further attempts to persuade Mr. Allan to cooperate and ordered him to exit the vehicle,” said Farmington Police Department Chief H. Eric Johnsen in a release. “When Mr. Allan still refused to exit the vehicle, an officer opened the door to the car and another officer attempted to remove Mr. Allan from the vehicle. At that time an observing officer yelled out the words “gun, gun, gun!” A struggle, which appeared to last only seconds, ensued and gun shots could be heard. Officers secured Mr. Allan and began rending aid to him. An empty holster can be seen on Mr. Allan’s right hip and a handgun can be seen lying on the driver side floorboard of the vehicle.”
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