Bodycam videos show tense standoff leading up to police shootout

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TAYLORSVILLE — Dramatic body camera video was released Wednesday showing the tense standoff between more than a dozen police officers and a man wanted for investigation of several crimes including rape of a child.

Anei Gabriel Joker, 20, was killed in a shootout with police in a barrage of gunfire that also resulted in two officers being shot. On Wednesday, more than a dozen body camera videos recorded by officers on scene that night — including one of the officers who was shot — were released by the Salt Lake City and West Valley police departments.

The videos show the tense moments leading up to the shooting and the chaotic scene that happened all around the convenience store parking lot immediately following the shootout.

According to Salt Lake police, officers from multiple jurisdictions were participating in "a multi-day, multi-jurisdictional operation to apprehend individuals identified in high priority investigations related to violent crime." The operation was being headed by the Utah Department of Public Safety.

One of the individuals police were looking for was Joker, who was wanted in West Valley City for investigation of rape of a child, domestic violence robbery and criminal mischief, according to police. He was spotted by officers traveling in an SUV near 4100 South and 3600 West. When the SUV pulled into in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven, 4110 S. Redwood Road, police boxed in Joker's vehicle after two other adults got out.

With Joker pinned in by officers, a standoff ensued. Police then learned that an infant, approximately 9-months-old, was also in the vehicle.

"There's a child in that car, don't put it in danger. Exit the vehicle now," a West Valley officer is heard on one video yelling at Joker.

After about 50 minutes of negotiating, the baby was put in the very back of the SUV and the back hatch opened while Joker remained in the front passenger seat. Two officers approached the vehicle and carried the baby to safety.

Joker, however, still refused to come out of the SUV.

"Joker, come out with your hands empty," a West Valley officer yelled several times. "You do so, we can ensure your safety."

As the negotiations continued, police were preparing to fire "pepper balls" into the SUV through the open back hatch. Pepper balls are small plastic balls filled with a powdery irritant — similar to pepper spray — that is released upon impact to create a "pepper cloud." A person's eyes and throat become irritated, with the hope that person will then surrender.

In body camera video from Salt Lake City police, several officers talk about getting ready as the pepper balls are deployed.

"Alright, here we go boys," an officer is heard saying just before the pepper balls are shot.

After more than a dozen pepper balls are fired into the SUV, officers with their guns drawn continue to yell at Joker to surrender, but their alert level goes up another step as they wait to see how he will react. Before the passenger door of the SUV even opens, officers are heard yelling, "Gun, gun, gun!" and "Don't do it."

More than a dozen body camera videos from officers involved in the deadly Dec. 1 shootout in a 7-Eleven parking lot between police and a man wanted for investigation of violent offenses were released Wednesday. (Photo: Salt Lake City Police)

Moments later, Joker steps out of the passenger side of the SUV with a gun clearly in his hand. Numerous police officers open fire. The body camera video also shows debris that is kicked up in front of the officers, possibly caused by shots being fired at them.

"I'm hit," a West Valley officer is heard repeating on his body camera video. The officer retreats to an area behind a parked police vehicle to take cover and falls to the ground, the video shows. Other officers rush to him and drag his body further out of the way to safety and begin treatment.

"Officer down," several other officers can be heard yelling. The West Valley officer is awake and alert and is heard telling the others that he was hit in his left leg and left arm.

As some officers were attending to their downed colleague, others remained focused on Joker, who was now on the ground. Concerned that there was still a gun near him, a police K-9 was sent in to drag Joker's body away from the SUV. Once he was pulled a few feet, other officers moved in and handcuffed him before providing medical aid. Joker was taken to a local hospital where he died a short time later.

Behind the scenes, body camera video from several Salt Lake officers who were keeping bystanders away, another dramatic scene was unfolding. Officers had apparently been keeping an eye on Joker's brother, who was in the area. Once the pepper balls were fired, the brother appeared to try and make his way into the standoff scene.

"Watch the brother," an officer is heard saying.

Several Salt Lake officers immediately surrounded and tackled the brother and placed him into handcuffs as the brother yelled and cried. They then took him to an area behind the 7-Eleven for cover as the barrage of gunshots rang out.

"You killed my brother," he is heard yelling at officers.

As police tried to get the brother to calm down, other bystanders also started yelling at police.

"What is wrong with you guys?!" a man is heard yelling at police.

The brother was detained and after calming down was released from custody.

None of the videos released Wednesday showed the Unified police officer who was hit in the crossfire. Neither West Valley nor Unified police said they could give details about where that officer was standing when he was shot, saying that information would be released once the officer-involved shooting investigation, this time being headed up by the Cottonwood Heights Police Department, was completed. Once their report is done, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office will determine if the shooting was legally justified.

The West Valley officer who was injured underwent two surgeries at a local hospital and was released a couple of days later. The Unified officer was treated and released from the hospital that same night.