Report details troubles of soldier involved in fatal S.L. shootout

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SALT LAKE CITY -- New details are emerging about the AWOL soldier who staged a shootout with police in Salt Lake City in 2010. An Army report paints the picture of a troubled young man who didn't reach out for help because he feared being labeled.

The 200-page report obtained by the Seattle Weekly cites doctors who feared Army Spec. Brandon Barrett was keeping his true feelings to himself following his return from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan. He claimed he was fine, just a little nervous, and could be startled easily.

Communications detail Barrett's plan

The Weekly reports an Aug. 18 exchange with a soldier friend on his MySpace page indicated something different than what he admitted.

Barrett had an intense conversation with a friend on MySpace and sent a number of cryptic text before the shooting.

Barrett's friend said, "You coming back? To the unit I mean?"

Barrett typed, "No I got big plans, going to make a name for myself."

The friend asked, "What are you up to? You aren't going to do anything crazy ... right?"

Barrett responded, "Just watch the news on the night of the 26th."

[CLICK HERE to read more from the conversation.]

In the days before the shooting Barrett texted a friend, a soldier at the base. Barrett said he purchased 500 rounds of ammunition for his AR-15 and was "going to show them" why they shouldn't mess with recently deployed soldiers.

A second text message was also sent about that time stating, "they (will) never take me alive."

Newly released Salt Lake police reports confirm Barrett had been texting several friends, "making statements about what he was about to do."

Barrett was shot and killed during a confrontation with Salt Lake police on Aug. 27, 2010, near the Grand America Hotel while dressed in full military combat gear.

Another text message from a day before the shootout said, "It's almost over -- 36 hours from now I'll be dead." He went on to say he had an argument and "1,000 rounds to prove" his point.

Report follows Barrett's final days

The Army report notes that Barrett had been arrested for DUI at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Wash., with the first 24 hours after coming back to the U.S.

After his arrest, military officials made an example of him. He was threatened by his supervisor that he wouldn't be allowed to go home for a month-long leave, according to the Seattle Weekly. Friends say he was livid over the threat.

On July 20, he was reported missing from his unit.

Barrett went to Tucson to visit his family after going AWOL. The Army acknowledged it failed to notify Barrett's family of his status in a timely manner.

When Tucson police went to the home where Barrett was staying, he wasn't there at the time. When he returned home and his father told him the police were looking for him, "Brandon went into his bedroom, locked the door and began to load all his weapons," according to the Salt Lake police report.

By the time he left Arizona, Barrett's family thought he was OK and was headed back to Washington to surrender.

Barrett scoped out hotel before shooting

On August 27, 2010, Barrett showed up at the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City wearing body armor and heavily armed. After police responded, he shot at Salt Lake City police officer Uppsen Downes, striking him in the leg. Downes fired back, killing Barrett.

Security video shows Barrett at Grand America Hotel parking lot moments before the Aug. 27 shooting.

Records obtained by KSL and the Deseret News show Barrett may have been surveying the hotel. Three days prior to the shooting, Barrett walked up to a desk clerk, wandered around, went in and out of doors. He was at the hotel for 33 minutes.

The day before the shootout, he stayed at a Motel 6 and watched the movie "Takers." It ends in a shootout.

Reason for choosing Salt Lake City unclear

Investigators still don't know why Barrett picked Salt Lake City for the shooting incident. The first Salt Lake police had ever heard of Barrett was after he was shot and killed. When contacting Barrett's brother, a police officer in Arizona, a Salt Lake police investigator asked him why Barrett would pick Utah.

"Shane was not sure what would put Brandon in Salt Lake City," a Salt Lake police report states.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said, "I would say that his intention was to target police officers."

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Story written with contributions from Andrew Adams and Pat Reavy.