Cedar City Police Release Body Cam Footage From Officer-Involved Shooting
Apr 2, 2021, 12:44 PM | Updated: 12:44 pm
CEDAR CITY, Utah – Cedar City Police Department on Friday released the findings of an investigation into an officer-involved shooting that happened in February.
The incident was found to be justified by the Garfield County Attorney’s Office.
Officers stopped Larry Joseph Lee Tessier, 36, on the night of Feb. 15 after reports of an assault with a knife. Tessier then drove away from police, leading them on a pursuit and driving recklessly in the process.
He eventually swerved, hitting an officer’s vehicle, before driving back to the scene where the reported assault took place.
In one piece of footage, Tessier can be seen hitting an officer’s vehicle head-on before backing up. He revved his engine at surrounding police, and officers then opened fire.
Tessier was not killed.
“In this case, their actions were justified,” said Garfield County Attorney Barry Huntington. “I don’t know what else they could have done. They tried every less-lethal (way) available to stop this individual. He was completely noncompliant.”
A preliminary hearing was held earlier in the week, and Tessier will remain behind bars without bail until his trial.
Four officers were placed on administrative leave after the critical incident and have since returned to work.
