Utah Police Controversy: 25-Year-Old Law Student Shot Dead

Sunny Peter
Shot Dead
Shutterstock | 209470

A Shocking turn of events took place in Utah where the police shot a 25-year-old law student and killed him. Read on to learn what actually happened!

Utah Law Student Fatally Shot by Police During Traffic Stop

Police
Giphy | Alex Sheyn

On March 1, a routine traffic stop in Davis County, Utah turned deadly when Chase Allan, a 25-year-old law student, was shot and killed by five officers from the Farmington Police Department.

Body Cameras Turned Off

Shortly after the incident, it was revealed that the officers had been instructed to turn off their body cameras just minutes after the shooting, raising questions about the transparency of the investigation.

Police Claims Allan Was Made a Target

Target
Unsplash | Annie Spratt

According to police reports, officers from the Farmington Police Department in Davis County, Utah, fired 12 shots at Allan after he failed to exit his BMW 3-Series parked outside a local post office. The police claimed that the shooting occurred because Chase was non-compliant after they questioned why his car lacked a license plate, doubting whether the individual had a weapon during the deadly occurrence. Disturbing photos from the scene show Chase's bullet-riddled car nearby while his feet, wearing red hi-top sneakers, peek out from the bottom of a stretcher.

Allan's Mother on Her Son's Death During Traffic Stop

Diane, Allan's mother, who sued Farmington Police Department in the past for a traffic incident, believes her son was scared for his life during the fatal stop. She desperately seeks answers from the police department regarding the circumstances surrounding her son Chase's death, but she has been met with silence!

Police Are Stonewalling Us,’ Wrote Chase’s Mother

Chase Allan's family expressed their profound sorrow over his untimely death in a statement provided to FOX 13. They described his passing as “devastating and tragic” and shared that they have not yet been allowed to see him. The family alleges that they were not informed of Chase's death and accuses the police department of unlawfully killing their loved one and engaging in a cover-up. Diane claims that she first found out about her son's killing through news reports rather than from the authorities.“Police are stonewalling us. Our family was not properly notified of Chase's death as next of kin. We found out about Chase's death along with the entirety of our community via news reporters and articles written online.”

Radio Calls Made Minutes After Shooting of Utah Law Student by Cops

Police ordered officers to turn off their body cameras in two radio calls made within 16 minutes after the fatal shooting of Chase Allan during a traffic stop, according to Fox 13.

“If You're Off the Scene, Kill Your Bodycams”

Shots were fired at 3.27 pm on Wednesday, and by 3.31 pm, all officers who responded to the incident were told to kill their bodycams.

According to radio call logs, “If you're off the scene, you can go ahead and kill your bodycams."

Instructions To Turn Off Body Cameras After Fatal Shooting of Utah Law Student

A second transmission at 3:46 pm instructed all units on the Farmington incident to turn off their body cams. “10-4. All units on the Farmington incident, make sure your body cams are shut off.”

Police Body Camera Policies During Officer-Involved Shootings

Police departments commonly use body cameras to promote transparency and accountability. Chief Eric Johnsen explains that officers are usually asked to turn off their body cameras within a reasonable time after an officer-involved shooting for various reasons.

Farmington PD's Body Camera Policy

Farmington Police Department's body camera policy mandates officers to keep their portable recorders on continuously until their direct participation in the incident is complete or the situation no longer requires activation.

Expert Says 20 Minutes Enough for Body Cameras After Incident

Body cameras
Unsplash | Matt Bero

According to Michael White, a criminology professor at Arizona State University, 20 minutes is a reasonable amount of time for body cameras to record an incident. He has reviewed hundreds of body-worn camera policies across the US and believes that keeping them recording nonstop is not practical. “I think a 20-minute window is actually a fairly extended period of time to keep a camera activated after an incident has ended, even a critical incident, and it makes sense to me,” he said.

Sequestered Body Cameras to Be Reviewed by Davis County OICIRT Members

Following the incident, the body cameras used by the officers have been sequestered by a supervisor. The Davis County Officer-Involved Critical Incident Response Team reviews every second of footage. The officers can review their body camera footage before providing their statements. According to Johnsen, he still needs to review the video.

Officer Statements Delayed in Farmington Shooting Investigation

Shooting
Flickr | tariqabbas1045

The investigation is underway as the five officers involved in the incident have been put on administrative leave. According to Johnsen, they will not be interviewed until they have had two “sleep cycles.”

Davis County Department's Previous Encounter with Allan’s Family

Diane Allan, the deceased's mother, had previously sued the Farmington Police Department in April last year over a traffic stop, claiming that the police had no right to conduct it.

Diane Allan's Legal Battle Against Farmington PD

Legal Battle
Unsplash | Scott Graham

Diane Allan claims her rights were violated when she was pulled over by police on April 7, 2022, and filed a lawsuit in federal court. According to court documents, Allan represented herself. She argued that as an independent resident of Utah, the city of Farmington's rules does not apply to her and that she has an “inherent right” to “access public roads without her liberty restrained.”

Traffic Stop Controversy: Allan's Constitutional Rights Allegedly Violated

Traffic
Unsplash | Moritz Kindler

Diane disputes the reasoning given by the police, who claim that the expired registration was the reason for the stop, after being cited by Utah's justice courts for driving without a license and on an expired registration. “Defendants wrongfully claim to have the right to enforce traffic codes in the face of Plaintiff's Constitutional Rights,” she wrote.

Allegations of Police Misconduct: Diane Allan's Encounter with The Farmington Police Department

Allegations
Giphy | Desus & Mero

Diane Allan and her son visited the Farmington Police Department to deliver what she called “the Rescissioned citation.”According to Diane, Eric Johnsen, now the Farmington police chief, came out to the lobby and allegedly threw her citation in the trash as she watched. Diane names him and several other individuals in the police department, the city, the court system, and the Davis County Attorney.

Threats and Misconduct by Farmington Police Department Officer

Threats and Misconduct
Giphy

In the lawsuit against the Farmington Police Department, it is alleged that Officer Johnsen threatened to impound Plaintiff Diane's vehicle if she did not register it immediately. When she pointed out that this was a threat, Officer Johnsen reportedly replied, “no, it's a promise, it's a promise.”Diane claims this statement amounted to a “declaration of war against Plaintiff.” Despite this, Diane notified Officer Johnsen that she had come to the police department to resolve the matter peacefully. Diane claims the official court record contains perjury, stating that she “refused to sign” the citations even though no one asked her to sign anything.

Remembering Chase Allan

Remembering
Giphy | Outlander

After graduating from Davis High School in 2016, Chase Allan pursued his passion for soccer by playing at UC Davis and Utah State University. Described by his mother as a gracious and loving soul, Chase was known in his community for his kindness and willingness to help those in need.“He was always selflessly helping and protecting others in need. He has been studying law the last few years and was a patriot doing what he could to defend the people's freedom and liberty in his community,” she said.

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