Police release video of fatal shooting; family calls it proof it was unjustified
Nov 28, 2018, 2:12 PM | Updated: 2:53 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Body camera video shows Salt Lake City Police shooting and killing a warrant suspect, which his family says proves the police were wrong to do that.
On the night of Nov. 9, suspect Cody Belgard hit a squad car, missing officers, in Sugarhouse.
“Officers approached the vehicle, and the suspect backed up again, swinging the front end of the vehicle at the officers, and striking two other vehicles,” said Capt. Lance VanDongen.
The video he presented Wednesday at the Public Safety Building shows Belgard led police on a high-speed chase to Rose Park, where he got out of his car.
“Officers commanded him to put his hands up at least four times, and to get on the ground at least seven times, which he did not do,” VanDongen said.
In the video, an officer screamed that Belgard had a gun. Seconds later, officers opened fire.
“And those statements are what triggered five officers firing on this young man – a very talented, well-loved, non-violent young man,” said Belgard’s brother, Marvin Oliveros.
Police admitted they never found a gun near Belgard. In the video, his girlfriend repeatedly told them he was unarmed.
“This was a young man that had some possession charges, some theft charges, but what does that tell us?” Oliveros asked reporters after the police news conference. “Potentially an addiction problem.
“What do we know about addicts? Their responsiveness is slower.”
Oliveros says an autopsy shows Belgard was shot twice in the back.
West Valley Police are still investigating the case.
