Mother calls for accountability over Ogden police encounter caught on video

OGDEN, Utah — A woman came forward Monday saying it was her son on the ground being struck by officers in a recent encounter currently under investigation by police.

The ordeal that unfolded at approximately 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1700 block of Washington Boulevard was captured by a witness’ cell phone.

Marsha Quintana said she received a call from the Weber County Jail and her son, 30-year-old Shawn Sims.

“The first thing out of his mouth — he said, ‘Mom, they beat me,’” Quintana told KSL TV. “(He) said, ‘I just took it, mom. I didn’t want to make it worse.’”

Quintana said her son suffered a fractured jaw, broken nose, broken orbital sockets and he lost all vision in his right eye after the video showed him being struck repeatedly while on the ground.

Ogden police investigating punches thrown by officers captured in bystander video

“What did he do that was so wrong to be beaten like that?” Quintana said with emotion. “That was just too extreme and he didn’t deserve that.”

As of Monday evening, Ogden police had not provided specific details about the case, and a spokesman even declined to confirm Sims was the man on the ground.

The spokesman said the department was planning to release further information, perhaps as early as Tuesday, about what happened.

On Sunday, the department issued a statement, only acknowledging an investigation.

“The Ogden Police Department is aware of a use of force incident involving our officers, which a bystander filmed,” the statement read. “The department had begun an After-Action Use of Force investigation prior to the release of the bystander video. We will report those findings and all available Body Worn Camera footage as soon as possible.

In a probable cause statement for Sims, an officer wrote that he observed Sims “walking on a white line separating the shoulder of the roadway and the number three northbound lane.”

The officer wrote that after activating his lights to signal Sims to stop, Sims instead fled across Washington Boulevard, where he was “forcefully taken to the ground.”

While on the ground, Sims — according to the officer — “continued to stiffen his arms and keep them under his person despite officers giving him verbal commands to provide his hands.”

Quintana said her son received medical treatment at the hospital and then was processed into the Weber County Jail, where records show he was booked on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor interference with an arresting officer, failure to stop at the command of law enforcement, and intoxication.

Records also showed he was cited with an infraction for prohibited activities by a pedestrian using the roadway.

“I understand that my son was intoxicated and I understand that my son ran and even understand that my son violated his probation,” Quintana said. “I can’t justify what they did to him.”

She said she hoped the officers involved would face consequences while noting her son faces lasting ones.

“They’re going to have to prove to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that my son deserved that because he did not,” Quintana said. “From everything that I’ve been told and everything I can see, he did not deserve that.”