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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who died after being placed into police custody repeatedly struggled with officers and even attempted to grab an officer's gun, according to newly-released police body camera videos.
Salt Lake police released those videos Friday from nine officers who responded to the incident on Aug. 14 that began with a report of a man stealing from a business in the area of 800 South and 300 West.
While officers were en route, emergency dispatchers were told that the man, 35-year-old Nykon Brandon, had left the business and was running down the street. Police spotted the man a couple of blocks away.
The body camera videos from the first arriving officers show Brandon, dressed in what appears to be only socks and underwear, running down the street. Two officers get out of their patrol vehicles and quickly chase him down. Brandon either trips or is pushed to the pavement and rolls onto a gravel parkway.
Despite numerous commands from officers to stop fighting with them, Brandon continues to resist.
"Put your hands behind your back, do it now!" an officer commands while also telling Brandon numerous times to stop resisting.
"Knock it off," the officer says.
Brandon, who is heard breathing heavily in the videos and appears to be sweating, continues to fight and at one point puts one of his hands on an officer's gun.
"He's got his hand on your gun," an officer is heard on video warning his partner.
The officers call for backup and tries and hold Brandon's hands down.
"I'm going to Tase you. Wanna get tased?" another officer is heard telling Brandon.
As other officers arrive to hold Brandon and help get him into handcuffs, he continues to struggle with them.
"We'll sit you up if you stop," an officer tells him. "You gotta be cooperative though, man, we want to help you. You gotta stop fighting with us."
Near the end of the body camera videos released on Friday, Brandon stops struggling and an officer is seen tapping his shoulder while repeating, "Can you hear me?" The videos end as officers roll Brandon from his stomach onto his back.
According to Salt Lake police, just as officers are about to apply a "wrap" to Brandon, a device used for people who are combative, they instead start applying medical aid.
"Officers administered the first of multiple doses of Narcan and started performing chest compressions" one minute after starting first aid, according to police.
Brandon was then taken to a local hospital. Police were informed about 45 minutes later that he had died.
Because Brandon died while in police custody, an officer-involved critical incident protocol was enacted. Two officers were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries incurred during the same incident, including one who cut his knee while struggling with Brandon on the gravel parkway.
South Salt Lake police confirmed that about an hour and 15 minutes prior to Salt Lake police being called, their officers also dealt with Brandon. About 2 p.m., officers were called to Harmony Park, 3760 S. Main, on a welfare check. There, they said they found Brandon and suspect he was intoxicated. He was issued a citation and taken to a detox center in Salt Lake City near 250 West and 900 South.
