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SALT LAKE CITY -- Newly-released security video shows a gunman's final moments before he was killed by police.
Army Spc. Brandon Barrett was shot and killed by that officer, who returned fire in the Aug. 27 incident at a downtown intersection near the Grand America Hotel.
Surveillance video shows soldier's final moments
Security footage shows Barrett was heavily armed and dressed in full combat gear as he walked through the parking garage.
Another piece of video shows him walking through double doors from the parking garage to an elevator that leads to the hotel's main lobby. He passes two people who appear to be curious and confused at the sight of Barrett dressed in full military gear.
A hotel security officer who encountered Barrett called 911.
"He's on the corner of 6th South and State [Street], pacing back and forth with his military gun in front of him," the security officer told dispatchers. "I don't know if he has grenades. I don't know that."
A short time later, Barrett is seen in a parking lot along State Street pacing back and forth. There are people and cars passing him, but Barrett keeps his weapon pointed down.
"In this particular circumstance, he had opportunity to engage civilian targets and chose not to for some reason," said Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank.
Moments later, Salt Lake City police officer Uppson Downes confronted the soldier. Barrett shot the officer in the leg, and that's when the officer returned fire, killing Barrett.
"I would say that his intention was to target police officers," Burbank said. "I don't know if that was for his own demise or if he simply wanted to shoot at police officers, but that is certainly what it appears to be."
Army didn't warn of slain soldier's intent
Just before the shooting occurred, Barrett was classified as a deserter from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Wash. He had recently returned from Afghanistan, and a report says Army officials knew he was headed to Utah with ammunition, weapons and a grudge.
However, Burbank says his agency never received any information Barrett was headed to Utah. The police chief says he knows general threats come in all the time, but in this case police should have been told sooner.
"I didn't come here to point a finger at the military and say, ‘You should have,' because it's always a challenge with intelligence," Burbank said. "But in this case, would we like to have had information sooner? Absolutely. If we can get a little information, we start looking for those types of individuals. It gives us that much of an advantage."
Barrett, who has no ties to Utah, reportedly sent text messages to family and friends indicating he was going to make a name for himself and he was headed to Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune cites text messages Barrett sent warning that he was preparing for death with "one hell of an argument and about 1,000 rounds" to prove his point.
Burbank says the Salt Lake City Police Department received no information about that. The newspaper cites an Army report saying investigators were worried about a mass shooting, but Burbank said his agency has since had discussions with the Army and he's confident no one knew Barrett was going to do what he did.
"Did anyone specifically know that this individual was coming to Salt Lake? I'm very confident that nobody knew he was coming to Salt Lake to do what he did," Burbank said.
Police close Barrett's case
One of the most difficult things is the fact that an individual who served his country ... lost his life at the hands of a police officer -- and we failed as a society. We should have done more for this individual.
–Chief Chris Burbank
Police have closed the case, acknowledging there are several questions that will remain unanswered.
"One of the big questions that still has not been answered -- and I don't know if it'll ever be answered -- is, why Salt Lake City?" Burbank said.
Regardless, Burbank says it's clear Barrett needed help.
"One of the most difficult things is the fact that an individual who served his country, served each and every one of us, lost his life at the hands of a police officer -- and we failed as a society," Burbank said. "We should have done more for this individual."
Barrett's brother is a police officer in Arizona. Burbank says he's been very impressed with Barrett's family, who has reached out to the officer who was shot.
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Story written with contributions from Sandra Yi, Mary Richards, Brian Martin and The Associated Press.
