In a recent turn of events, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) adhered to city ordinance and provided body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved critical incident (OICI). This footage was released pertaining to a case that had prompted protocol activation, as reported by the Salt Lake City Police Department. The incident, which led to an officer discharging their weapon, occurred without actual visual evidence being captured, with the camera only recording audio of the gunshot sounds.
Details surrounding the officer-involved shooting, which unfolded in the early hours of December 13, were initially flagged by multiple 911 calls. According to the Salt Lake City Police Department, a commotion at 149 West Pierpont Avenue initiated the police response. "Everyone had guns," the initial caller stated before disconnecting the line. Upon arrival, SLCPD officers canvassed the area but reported no active fighting taking place just minutes after their arrival, at 3:00 a.m.
The narrative shifted drastically at 3:11 a.m. when officers' body-worn cameras captured the sound of multiple gunshots echoing through the streets. Officers, responding to the danger, rushed toward the source of the gunfire in an attempt to locate any potential victims or perpetrators. Simultaneously, a speeding white sedan was observed fleeing the scene from the Perry Hotel parking lot. A series of shots was fired from the vehicle, directed towards the officers, prompting at least one officer to return fire.
Fortunately, despite the exchange of gunfire, no casualties or injuries were reported by officers or community members. The SLCPD underscored in its statement that the officer who fired their weapon was not dispatched to the initial incident and hadn't activated their body-worn camera before the response to gunfire. The involved officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in these situations, and an independent investigation by Protocol Team 3, spearheaded by the West Valley City Police Department, is ongoing alongside SLCPD's internal review.
