What was supposed to be a routine traffic stop in Utah ended up in a deadly shooting involving several police officers.
On Wednesday, the Farmington Police Department released body camera footage of the March 1 shooting. Police Chief Eric Johnsen called the shooting a tragic ending to a routine traffic stop.
The footage shows five police officers fatally shooting Chase Allan, 25, after one of the officers pulled him over for an illegitimate license plate.
The footage was a compilation of body cam footage from the five officers and the dash cam footage of the officer who pulled Allan over.
Farmington, Utah police released a statement the day after the shooting saying that the driver was non-compliant with the police officer who stopped him. The initial statement made no mention that the officers immediately started shooting at Allan after one of the officers shouted “gun.”
All five officers are on administrative leave as an investigation is being conducted.
The deadly encounter began around 3:20 pm when an officer pulled Allan over. Dashcam footage showed Allan stopping his vehicle after being trailed by the officer.
When the officer approached the car, Allan immediately said he was invoking his right not to obey the law.
Allan, who was alone, refused to give the officer his license and registration and answer any questions. The officer then called for backup. Allan eventually handed over his passport to the officer.
After a short while, the officer asked Allan to step out of the car, and another officer who had just arrived at the scene threatened to break the window and pull him out.
Allan refused to heed the orders and moved his coat aside, showing a gun holster on his right hip but no gun.
An officer opened the driver’s door, and according to them, Allan moved his hand to his holster, and one of the other officers tried to remove him from the car. Another officer yelled “gun,” and all hell broke loose.
The five officers discharged their weapons, shooting Allan multiple times in his chest and head.
They found a gun on the floorboard beneath the driver’s seat.
Allan was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
The incident has raised speculation about Allan’s motives. His noncompliant language in the video is said to be because of he and his family’s affiliation with the Sovereign Citizen movement, indicated by banners seen on his vehicle and audio from past incidents in a Utah courthouse. Local media produced photographs of the car following the incident, which show a flag decal with stars, stripes, and the phrase “Utah, American State Citizen.”
The Sovereign Citizen Movement holds antigovernment views on a variety of issues, including whether the government has the right to levy taxes and whether license plates are required.
