28 August (UPI) — The body camera footage of a guy who passed away after being arrested by police for allegedly stealing beer from a brewery while still wearing his underwear has been made public by the Salt Lake City Police Department. Nykon Brandon, 35, passed away in a Salt Lake City hospital on August 14 after being arrested at 3:15 p.m. near Fisher Brewing, according to a statement released by police following his passing.
When Brandon stole beer from the brewery and fled, employees, contacted 911 to report it. Around 3:22 p.m., officers nearby discovered Brandon. “A man just attempted to run in and take beer from Fisher Brewing Company, where I am. He’s in his underwear and poses a risk to both himself and perhaps the nearby traffic “Tim, a 911 caller, stated on audio that the police have made available.
Although Brandon was not armed, the 911 caller described him as “running around wild, extremely unpredictable,” and “throwing stuff.” The 911 caller stated that there were “definitely mental health concerns, so if you have mental health resources, send them out.” At the time, Mark Wian with the Salt Lake City Police Department stated at a news conference that Brandon struggled with the officers trying to take him into custody.
“Two of our policemen were hurt in the altercation. Despite having severe wounds, they don’t have any life-threatening ones “Wian remarked, without going into more detail about the injuries. After being taken into custody, Brandon lost consciousness, prompting officers to begin performing CPR and delivering naloxone, according to Wian. Police reform groups expressed worry about his killing and questioned how Brandon, who was unarmed, died.
Police have revealed disturbing body camera footage showing Brandon sprinting along a street while wearing white underwear and pushing policemen before being put to the ground. As police officers put their hands on him to control him, he can be heard snarling and breathing loudly. Before trying to reach for one of the officers’ firearms, Brandon can be seen being pinned to the ground and attempting to push the officers away from him.
In the video, one of the policemen is heard saying, “He’s got a hand on your pistol.” The recordings demonstrate that police did make attempts to defuse the situation up until the point that one of the cops on the scene is heard instructing another that Brandon must “get off.” The recordings show at least six officers putting their hands on Brandon at one time.
Several officers can still be seen standing over Brandon after he is handcuffed, pushing his head to the ground and indicating that they might need a “wrap.” One of the officers then replies, “Relax man,” before hitting Brandon, who has blood on some of his arms and back. Five minutes after first coming across Brandon, at 3:27 p.m., officers started giving him medical attention. He was taken to a nearby hospital, and the police were informed that he passed away at 4:16 pm. His exact passing time is yet unknown.
2020 saw the signing of an executive order by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall requiring all cops to use de-escalation procedures before using force. It is also forbidden to use force to stop someone from injuring themselves if they are not now a danger to others. In the order, Mendenhall stated that de-escalation techniques “are no longer suggested or preferred—they are obligatory prior to utilize force to achieve an arrest unless it would be irrational to do so.”
“Officers will try to encourage voluntary compliance by using effective communication strategies. Officers would be expected to refrain from taking needless, excessively aggressive action that could exacerbate a situation that could result in the use of force.” In the videos that the police department made available, the officers are not seen giving Brandon naloxone.
“Our community is protected by the police officers who go to work every day. They are taught to stay professional and exhibit fortitude and resiliency in the face of significant stress, danger, and uncertainty “In a statement, police chief Mike Brown said. “We promise to thoroughly examine the investigation’s results in this matter. In order to continue making our community safer, we as a forward-thinking department will review our rules, procedures, and training using the findings.”
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