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FARMINGTON — The man shot and killed by Farmington police on Wednesday had a gun next to him in his vehicle, police said Friday.
A new statement from Farmington police describing the footage from body camera video comes less than one day after the family of 25-year-old Chase Allan accused police of murdering him and said the department has been "stonewalling" them.
Officers shot and killed Allan during a traffic stop. In their Friday statement, police said they pulled him over on Wednesday at 3:22 p.m. near the city's post office because his vehicle had an illegitimate license plate.
Body camera footage shows Allan — whose mother sued Farmington police five months ago over a traffic stop nearly a year ago — rolled his window down only a few inches and refused to provide identification or cooperate in any way, police said.
"The driver asserted his independence from the laws of the land as well as his belief that he was not required to provide information to the officer, nor was he required to cooperate," police said.
The initial officer called for assistance, and they "exhausted multiple further attempts" to persuade Allan to cooperate, the statement continues. When Allan still refused to exit the car, police opened the door and attempted to remove him.
"At that time an observing officer yelled out the words, 'Gun, gun, gun!' A struggle, which appeared to last only seconds, ensued and gunshots could be heard," police said in the statement.
Officers secured Allan and said they began rendering aid. An empty holster can be seen on Allan's right hip in the body camera footage, according to police, and a handgun can be seen lying on the driver's side floorboard of the car.
The ongoing investigation is being handled by the Davis County Critical Incident Protocol Team, police said.
"Farmington police do not interview the involved Farmington police officers and have no information regarding what they experienced during this incident; however, supervisors have been able to review the body-worn camera video of the officers on the scene," according to the police statement. "It is our intention to release this video to the public at the earliest opportunity."
Allan's family said the officers fired at least 12 rounds at Chase Allan while he was in the car with the engine still running and the lights on.
Photos from the incident show a vehicle with multiple bullet holes through the windows.
"Officers claim it was a routine traffic stop, yet the officer requested multiple other officers to the scene a couple blocks prior to the stop," family members said. "This resulted in the brutal murder of Chase at the hands of five Farmington police officers, with them shooting him while he was still in his automobile and likely terrified for his safety."
Mother's lawsuit against police
Nearly a year ago, Allan accompanied his mother to the Farmington police station to act as a witness while she argued against a traffic citation.
Chase Allan's mother, Diane Killian Allan, had been stopped several hours earlier for failure to register her vehicle. She had argued the officer didn't have probable cause to pull her over and that she has the right to travel. The officer cited her anyway for driving without registration and driving without a license.
When Diane Allan came to the station with her son later, then-Lt. Eric Johnsen — who is currently Farmington's police chief — came into the lobby where the woman said she hand-delivered what she called a "rescissioned citation." She claims Johnsen crumpled it into a ball and said her car would be impounded if she didn't register it.
"That's a threat," Chase Allan said, according to a lawsuit Diane Allan filed in September in federal court.
Johnsen allegedly replied, "No, it's a promise, it's a promise."
"Defendant Johnsen was informed that such comments are a declaration of war against plaintiff," her lawsuit states.
It alleges that Farmington police violated her constitutional rights through false arrest, unreasonable search and seizure, armed assault and by "making threats of kidnapping and theft of private property," among other allegations.
It also names the Davis County Attorney's Office, Davis County Justice Court and the city of Farmington as defendants, among others.
Allan is seeking unspecified damages for "mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, time lost to address this matter and economic damages." She's also seeking an injunction prohibiting police from kidnapping her, taking her property or participating in her court proceedings.
In her lawsuit, Allan — who is representing herself — writes that she was "forced" off the road by Farmington police officers in April 2022 over an expired car registration.
Nonemergency use of emergency vehicle lights is a felony, Allan claims in the suit, and she "reasonably expects to be able to access the public roads without her liberty restrained, as this is an inherent right."
Allan writes that she began recording the encounter as an officer approached her car. When he asked if she had her insurance and registration information, she replied, "I'm not going to answer that," according to the lawsuit.
Instead, she said she provided her passport and a copy of the U.S. Constitution. A second officer, Johnsen, arrived and put on a bullet-proof vest, the lawsuit says.
The first officer then asked for Allan's birthdate, to which she said she responded, "I'm not going to answer that." Allan claims she then told the officer that an expired car registration wasn't a legal reason to stop her and that if he'd been properly trained, he would know that. She said she then gave him information about the right to travel, but he "ignored" it and "threw" a paper citation through her window.
Several hours after the traffic stop, when the mother and son went to the police station, Diane Allan tried showing Johnsen in her passport where he is directed by the secretary of state to allow U.S. citizens to pass without hindrance, she writes in her lawsuit. She said Johnsen replied that he doesn't have jurisdiction over a passport, and "insisted" that if she didn't show up for court, a warrant would be issued for her arrest.
She said Johnsen further said that the moment Allan enters the public roadway, she is subject to Utah's codes and statutes, and she must abide by these or be penalized.
The lawsuit says Allan filed a motion to dismiss the traffic citation for lack of jurisdiction. Court officials repeatedly failed to notify her of court events, she claims, showing a "clear bias and prejudice toward the plaintiff."
A judge found her guilty of both traffic violations during a trial in September and she was fined $100.
During the trial, prosecutors asked Diane Allan if she'd be providing any defense. Allan left the courtroom, "indicating this (is) not a trial," court documents state. The judge found her guilty in absentia on both counts.
Allan filed her lawsuit the day after the trial, court records show.
"The defendants did enforce a 'code' under the color of law that is in conflict with the constitutional right to be secure in your persons, papers and effects to enforce upon and extinguish the rights of the plaintiff, to the bitter end of forcing plaintiff into involuntary servitude," the lawsuit says.
