Bodycam Footage Of Police Fatally Shooting Man With His Own Gun Roy City, Utah 02/21/2017

Published on Mar 31, 2017

** (Disclaimer: Video posted strictly for educational and information purposes only) **
Roy City Police released video of a deadly exchange between two Roy City police officers and a trespassing suspect at a gas station in February. Two unidentified officers were in a fight with Nicolas Sanchez, 39, in the parking lot of the Texaco Station at 4395 South 1900 West when several shots were fired and Sanchez was hit. One of the officers who shot Sanchez did so with a gun that he had grabbed from Sanchez seconds earlier. Attorney Heather White was hired by Roy City to explain the video prior to releasing it to the media. White said the officer who shot Sanchez with his own gun thought Sanchez may have had a second firearm and decided to use the suspect's own weapon against him after his partner had already fired shots at Sanchez.

“Fearing Sanchez may have another weapon, and hearing shots fired, the first officer shot Sanchez with the gun he had wrestled from Sanchez. When the first officer saw Sanchez was not moving, he dropped Sanchez’ gun and drew his gun from his holster,” White said. The two officers were initially dispatched to the Texaco station on February 21 at approximately 10 p.m. after a clerk reported a man was trespassing and acting suspiciously in the store. The video shows the officers arrive at the store and contact Sanchez, who was reportedly loitering, and had left his car running in the parking lot. Video shows the officers approach Sanchez at the door of the store and ask him to come over to their cruisers and speak to them.

Sanchez asked the officers repeatedly why they want to talk to him. He then lifts his sweatshirt, at which point an officer stated, "You got a gun on you, do not move." Sanchez then backed away from the officers, swinging his right hand back and forth and moving his left hand toward his waistband where the gun was located, according to police. Sanchez then turned and ran away from the officers. The video shows the first officer run after Sanchez and a struggle ensues, at which point, the second officer, who is standing back, sees Sanchez's hands go to his waistband. The second officer felt that his partner's life was in "imminent danger," and he began firing at Sanchez, according to White. That's when the first officer stripped Sanchez of his gun, feared the suspect may have another weapon, and shot Sanchez with his own gun, White says.

Body camera footage released Friday shows the altercation from the perspective of both officers. The entire encounter lasted approximately one minute, but the time between when the officers first saw Sanchez had a gun to the last shot fired is only twelve seconds. "Sanchez's reckless actions in those split seconds dictated the actions the officers took that day. The officers did what they are trained to do and what we expect them to do: protect themselves and others against violent and irrational behavior," White said. "Because of their actions, no one but Sanchez was injured that night." The two officers are on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation from the Weber County Attorney's Office.

So yea, I think this was an unfortunate incident. And to be honest, it seems pretty #ed up to disarm a guy and then shoot him with his own weapon. But as anyone can see, this was all going down in mere seconds, and if I were that officer, I sure would not be wanting to wait and see whether he was going to fire at me if he had escaped. But what I see is the supporting officer started shooting while they were both on the ground. That was a bit sloppy IMO and he could have hit his partner. It was the sounds of those shots though that made the responding officer begin firing with the gun he just confiscated.

I can hear him in the video as time goes on, he sounds pretty beat up about the whole incident.

Yes, the suspects behavior and choices led to his demise. It is possible the suspect was perhaps contemplating robbing the store?? He had his car running in the parking lot. It seems that officer's backup was a bit reckless though and premature with his shooting, which led to the man in question firing the gun he just pulled out of desperation.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Quick question as I did not see it, was the firearm the suspect possessed legally obtained and was he licensed to conceal carry?

Found this and answered my own question:

The press statement on Friday also said that Sanchez had "an extensive criminal history," and that as a convicted felon, he was not legally allowed to be in possession of a firearm. source

It looks to me like he was trying to say he was unarmed and the cop saw the gun when he lifted his hoodie.

He should have said he was armed.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

How does this officer justify shooting the guy when he's running away from the officers? Let alone shooting him several times??? It sure looks like the cops were too quick to pull the trigger. The officer yells "Do not move" several times when it's perfectly clear the guy is cold stone dead! The cop than keeps the gun trained on the guy as if he's anticipating the guy is going to miraculously get to his feet!

Yes, the suspect's behavior and choices led to his demise.

Agreed, but the quick reaction to shoot at the suspect with a barrage of gun fire, and than continue shooting while he's on the ground, is what gives fuel to the anti-police crowd.

a reply to: WeRpeons

I cannot watch the video currently, but officers and are taught to shoot until the threat stops. It could take one shot or many, you never know and every situation is different..

a reply to: WeRpeons

The guy was running away while trying to get something out of his back pocket. You don't run from cops, you don't run from them while reaching... and if you do, when you shoot first, you're getting shot.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: worldstarcountry

How does this officer justify shooting the guy when he's running away from the officers? Let alone shooting him several times??? It sure looks like the cops were too quick to pull the trigger. The officer yells "Do not move" several times when it's perfectly clear the guy is cold stone dead! The cop than keeps the gun trained on the guy as if he's anticipating the guy is going to miraculously get to his feet!

Yes, the suspect's behavior and choices led to his demise.

Agreed, but the quick reaction to shoot at the suspect with a barrage of gun fire, and than continue shooting while he's on the ground, is what gives fuel to the anti-police crowd.

For the umpteenth time, if you've ever fired a gun you can let off multiple shots in like half a second. Officers are not trained to wound, wing a guy, or shoot someone in the knee like in the movies. They shoot to stop the threat. Often times that means the suspect dies as a result. When an officer is placed in a position to need to shoot, it may not end well for the suspect.

a reply to: WeRpeons

Well the first officer is the one I took up a case against for being sloppy and impulsive. He could have easily shot his own partner, which admittedly is why he reacted by firing the confiscated firearm. It literally was like 3-5 seconds in which the shootings actually occurred, and in that time one officer was on the ground, his life possibly in danger from the unknown motives of an uncooperative armed suspect .

Backup cops needs to go get more training. First responding cop needs a bit of counseling, but he did right IMO. They did not even start off with the usually loud and hostile manner that sometimes happens. They asked the man politely to cooperate and have a discussion. But when the suspect makes it clear he is armed and then flees, at that point the public is in danger from an unknown threat. They have to respond the way they did at that point.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Seems like a clean incident brought on by the actions of the victim and the victim alone: A convicted felon, in possession of a firearm, starts walking away from police while reaching for his illegally carried firearm, proceeds to wrestle with an officer and gets himself shot with his own illegal firearm.

So go the Darwin Awards--I'm not making light of the death of a human being, but it really does take a special kind of stupid to do what he did.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Is it safe to fire a gun in a gas station. Hell I'm not even allowed to smoke.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: worldstarcountry

How does this officer justify shooting the guy when he's running away from the officers? Let alone shooting him several times???

Ah, yes--to live in the world of make believe and ignorance.

The guy had an illegal firearm on him with a lengthy criminal record. The officers seemed to know exactly who he was and what his criminal history indicated about his unpredictability at this encounter. In EVERY state that I have looked into the laws concerning this issue, all officers are allowed to use deadly force if they believe that someone is a danger to the officers or civilians, including if someone is fleeing (often times specifically in the commission of a felony).

He doesn't need to justify anything, you need to justify your willful ignorance to the law.

It sure looks like the cops were too quick to pull the trigger.

Ah, yes--subjective comments. To you, maybe he was too quick to pull the trigger. To me, it was right on time. You don't wait until a criminal decided to shoot first with the firearm that you know that he has in a situation like what is on video.

The officer yells "Do not move" several times when it's perfectly clear the guy is cold stone dead! The cop than keeps the gun trained on the guy as if he's anticipating the guy is going to miraculously get to his feet!

Again with your ignorance--plenty of people appear dead who are not. The reality is that neither officer knows (and I mean really KNOWS, in a definitive way, not in your 20/20 hindsight way) at the time if the guy is dead or if he has another firearm that he could reach or already be in possession of.

But, by all means, Peon, feel free to assume if you ever get in a situation like that.

Agreed, but the quick reaction to shoot at the suspect with a barrage of gun fire, and than continue shooting while he's on the ground, is what gives fuel to the anti-police crowd.

So what--in that line of work, you don't shoot once or twice and cross your fingers that you eliminated the threat.

Why does all of the things that I pointed out elude your grasp? Or are you choosing to turn your cheek to reality and instead embrace fantasy land?

a reply to: Wide-Eyes
Yes.

And it's been proven numerous times that a cigarette will not ignite gasoline or its fumes. It's just a safety precaution.

Nor will shooting a gasoline can ignite it, either...or a propane tank.

A gun at a gas station, however, will apparently kill a felon fighting with LEOs and illegaly carrying a firearm.

I'd rather be the gas pump in that scenario.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

What if the LEO missed and hit the pump, then the pump leaks all over the ground and in the ongoing episode a stray bullet ricochets creating a spark on the concrete?

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: SlapMonkey

What if the LEO missed and hit the pump, then the pump leaks all over the ground and in the ongoing episode a stray bullet ricochets creating a spark on the concrete?

And what if the LEO lost his life because the jackass felon who was apparently trying to pull his firearm (and apparently did) was successful in killing him...and maybe stray bullets from him firing at the officer struck other bystanders or set into motion your hypothetical (and highly unlikely) scenario?

What if...what if...what if...

In my world, it's more important that a LEO protect his life from a felon with a firearm than to worry about a statistically improbable situation.

a reply to: worldstarcountry
I have a question. Did anyone see the gun on him watching the video? I didn't.

a reply to: Aristotelian1
Does that matter? He had one.

Who cares if laymen on the internet can see it in the video?

Quite honestly, even if he did NOT have a firearm and still did the exact same body movements, police firing on him would have been acceptable given the circumstances (non-compliant felon reaching at his waistband as if to be retrieving a firearm after officers told him not to reach for anything and then proceeding to fight with an officer).

a reply to: Aristotelian1
If you look closely at the 57-58 second mark in the video. When he lifts his sweater I clearly see something attached and exposed to his belt. They asked him not to reach for it and to just comply. He knew he was going to jail and decided to run for it instead.

I was pulled over in February, and I carry a blade on my belt. When they asked me to step out, I put my hands where they could see and declared my weapon before I even stepped out. The deputy noted that he already observed it, and thanked me for declaring it. After searching my vehicle without consent or even asking, which I looked into the dash cam and stated, he returned to me, thanked me for cooperaation, left my blade and license in the car, and told me we were done.

Cooperation is more likely to preserve your life than fleeing or verbal harassment.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

I think you miss the point of my post. I have no opinion about the rights or the wrongs of the incident, I wasn't there.

I was just asking a theoretical question because I'm pissed that I have to put my smoke out and they can go around shooting stuff.

Firstly the guy shouldn't have ran from the cops trying to question him, that still doesn't warrant him getting shot on the spot, cops didn't know if he was going to shoot or just run from them,, still didn't need to shoot him.


Those cops are trigger happy (same with the back up) they all need a better approach to questioning before firing any ammo, back to the drawing board.

If i was a cop the last thing on my mind that day would be using my gun, still things happen and it maybe needed.

Guess my whole speach is, you never know what's going to happen but thinking with a gun will eventually get you or someone killed..

a reply to: SlapMonkey

You seem very emotionally invested in this story. Are you a LEO?