Salt Lake City Police Release Video Of Shooting That Left Man Dead, Officer Injured

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Salt Lake City Police released body camera videos showing the shooting of a man on July 17. Video showed the man aim what police said they later learned was a paintball gun at them before the shooting.

Salt Lake City Police were called to the Sunrise Metro Apartments around 1:23 p.m. for a report of a man with mental health issues who was threatening staff. Three officers, including one specializing in crisis intervention, went to the apartment along with a case worker. Video showed an officer knock on the door. As the man, later identified as Michael Brand, opened the door, video showed him point something, first at the case worker, then at the officer. Police now believe Brand was pointing a paintball gun. Another officer fired at Brand, hitting him and an officer.

“Are you good? That was me, man. I’m sorry. He had it pointed at your (expletive) head, dude. I’m sorry,” the officer who fired the shots said in the video.

Four seconds elapsed from the time Brand opened the door to the moment he was shot. Brand died at the scene. The officer who was shot was treated and released from the hospital that day.

Unified Police and the Salt Lake County Attorney’s Office are investigating the shooting. The city’s civilian review board as well as the Salt Lake City Police Department Internal Affairs Unit will also investigate the shooting. The officer who fired the shots is on leave pending the results of the investigation, as per standard protocol. The officer who was shot is still on leave recovering.

When police approached the door, they stood on opposite sides, which left them facing each other when Brand came outside. A police spokesperson said that approach typically gives them a better perspective on the situation.

“Many times, officers will line up on opposite sides of the door and that’s for a reason. When the door opens, from different angles, you can see different things inside of the home or apartment or whatever it may be,” said Sergeant Brandon Shearer. “If somebody tries to flee out the door, you’re more able to interact quickly and take that person into custody or stop them,”

The case worker who accompanied police was right in front of the door when the incident happened. Police said they sometimes bring case workers along to help de-escalate situations.

“One thing that affords you is that many times the social worker has developed a relationship with the person that we’re dealing with and that can really help to calm situations. It gives them a familiar face,” Shearer said. “That is something that is done on occasion and something we’ll obviously look at based on this circumstance and see whether or not we want to continue that.”