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SANDY — Body camera video released Tuesday shows a Sandy police officer firing multiple rounds at a 16-year-old boy in a stolen van, just two to three seconds after the officer stepped out of his vehicle.
The teenager died later that night.
The officer, with his gun drawn, quickly says, "Get on the ground" as the minivan approaches him — a command the driver likely could not hear — before immediately shooting at the vehicle, and continuing to shoot as it drove by him. At least eight shots were fired.
In a video statement released along with bodycam videos on Tuesday, Sandy police said the teenage driver "veered" toward the officer. Body camera videos show the van make a slight movement toward the officer, but then drive away as the officer opens fire.
The teen hits a police patrol car blocking its path moments later. Body camera videos show officers with their guns drawn run up to the vehicle that now has the driver's side windows shattered from being shot, and yell for the boy to show them his hands and get out. The boy is able to get out of the vehicle on his own and lies down on the ground, but can be heard groaning in pain and saying he was "sorry."
Medical aid was given to the teen and he was taken to a local hospital, but he died from his injuries that night. Police have not released the boy's name.
On Tuesday, Sandy police released more details about what led up to the police shooting.
The series of events began about 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 9 when the teen allegedly stole a U.S. Army van from a recruiting station at 814 E. 9400 South. An officer who was in his own personal vehicle saw what was happening and followed the van while calling 911.
Bodycam video from Sandy police
Near 12600 South and the Bangerter Highway, South Jordan police attempted to stop the vehicle but the boy fled and officers did not pursue, according to police.
Later, a resident in the area of 500 East and 10700 South called 911 to report seeing the van in her neighborhood and the driver acting suspiciously.
"We just had a suspicious vehicle that I noticed driving though our neighborhood twice," the woman who called 911 told dispatchers in a recording of the call released Tuesday. "And it says like, 'U.S. government.' But the kid in it is like 16, maybe 17 at the most. This time he stopped in front of my house with his window down, and I was like, 'Oh, can I help you with anything?' And he said, 'Do you have any gas I can have?'"
Police again spotted the van a short time later near 9400 South and 700 East. As the van approached Monroe Street, an officer got out of his car to prepare to deploy tire spikes. But as the vehicle was waiting in traffic to make a left turn, the officer called out to the driver at gunpoint to get out of the van, the video shows.
Instead, the boy made a U-turn and began driving into oncoming traffic. Moments later, he hit a motorcyclist who suffered serious injuries.
Police say at that point, the severity of the situation increased and police pursued the teen with emergency lights and sirens. The boy continued down Monroe Plaza where he ran into a dead end. He turned around at the business complex, according to police, and was driving back toward oncoming officers when a police officer fired shots at him.
One Sandy police officer has been placed on standard paid administrative leave as the shooting is investigated by an outside protocol team.
