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SANDY — A man who police say was able to grab a Sandy officer's gun while fighting with him and fire a round into the ground was eventually subdued and arrested Thursday thanks to help from a citizen.
Brandon Keith Thompson, 41, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of disarming a police officer, interfering with an arrest, failing to stop at the command of law enforcement, shoplifting and removing a security device.
The incident happened at an AT&T store, 11316 S. State. An alarm in the store was set off when Thompson allegedly removed a security device from an Apple Watch, according to a police affidavit. While employees questioned Thompson, they discovered a second Apple Watch was also missing. Police say the watch was found in a drawer next to where Thompson was standing.
As a Sandy police officer arrived at the scene to question Thompson, Thompson ran out the door to the parking lot, the affidavit states. He tripped while running, allowing time for an officer to catch up with him and grab him.
While Thompson was struggling with the officer, a witness observed Thompson grab the officer's gun, "pull the firearm partially out of (the officer's) holster and place his finger on the trigger," the affidavit states.
One shot was fired through the holster into the ground.
"There was damage to the holster and the asphalt where the bullet struck," according to the affidavit.
The witness then grabbed Thompson's hand using both of his hands, and pushed the gun back into the officer's holster.
"The witness was able to pry Thompson's hand off of the firearm and officers continued to wrestle with Thompson further taking him into custody," the affidavit says.
Draper police are assisting Sandy in the investigation.
Thompson has already been charged with felony crimes in three other cases in 2021. He was charged June 30 in 3rd District Court with burglary, a second-degree felony; and burglary of a vehicle, a class A misdemeanor. He was charged in May in 8th District Court in Duchesne County with failing to stop for police, reckless driving, and going 100 mph in a 65-mph zone after allegedly leading police on a chase, according to court records. Thompson was also charged in March in 8th District Court with another count of failing to respond to an officer's signal to stop.
