LOCAL NEWS
‘I am going to make you shoot me,’ suspect says before disarming Ogden officer
Jun 6, 2022, 4:58 PM | Updated: Jun 7, 2022, 6:16 am
The suspect, Dana Smith, attempting to walk way from Ogden Police Officer. (Credit: Ogden PD)
(Credit: Ogden PD)
OGDEN, Utah — The Ogden Police Department released body camera footage of an altercation between a man and two officers on May 29.
In the video from Ogden police, officers responded to multiple reports that Dana Smith, 29, punched a pregnant woman near 3500 Wall Ave. around 8 a.m.
Witnesses said that Smith walked toward a business in the area after the alleged assault.
An Ogden officer found Smith behind the Costco and commanded him to stop, but Smith ran, and the officer chased him on foot.
Smith eventually stopped at the corner of Costco, where the officer ordered him to raise his hands and wanted to talk to Smith.
In the video, Smith complied with the officer’s command to sit down against the wall but quickly started to resist and told the officer to “just shoot me.”
The officer refused Smith’s request as Smith kept approaching the officer and telling him, “I am going to make you shoot me.”
Smith tries to walk away from the officer while he attempts to de-escalate the situation.
Smith keeps asking the officer to shoot him, claiming he is suicidal and wants to die.
The officer continues to ask Smith to talk with him so he can take him to the hospital.
Smith begins to comply with the officer’s commands and starts to sit down at a nearby park bench, but becomes aggressive after the officer removes his backpack.
The officer tries to place Smith into handcuffs while Smith continues to ask the officer to shoot him.
Another Ogden officer finds the two and tackles Smith to the ground, where Smith was able to grab the second officer’s gun while on the floor.
Both officers command Smith to let go of the gun, but Smith refuses and tells them, “no, I am going to kill myself.”
Smith fired a single round from the officer’s gun, causing the first officer to Tase him and commanding him to let go.
The officers were able to place Smith into handcuffs without further incident.
The gunshot hurt no one.
According to the video, Smith was evaluated at a hospital and booked into the Weber County Jail for:
- assault on a police officer
- disarming a police officer
- failing to stop command of a police officer
- interfering with a police officer
- failing to disclose the identity
- felony discharge of a firearm
Police said that Smith has an extensive criminal history and is currently on felony probation.
