'We’re just punching bags': Farmington officials face angry callers after cops fatally shot Chase Allan
Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised.
DAVIS COUNTY, UTAH: Farmington officials have been bombarded with calls from around the country with people showing outrage after the tragic death of Chase Allan, who was fatally shot by cops. The 25-year-old was shot 12 times by five Farmington police officers during a traffic stop on March 1, 2023, after being pulled over for an “illegitimate license plate.” “They just want somebody to yell at,” says City Manager Brigham Mellor, who attended the calls, along with Mayor Brett Anderson.
Mellor narrates that when higher-ranking city officials are unable to attend the calls, receptionists and other city employees have to face the angry callers. He says, "You got to just let them do it. We’re just kind of being the punching bag right now," as per Standard-Examiner. Apart from the calls, Mellor said they also received hundreds of public records requests related to asking for footage from the body cameras used by the responding officers and Police Chief Eric Johnsen’s personnel file, among other things.
RELATED ARTICLES
'There was a lot of chaos': Shocked witnesses reveal how Farmington police shot down Chase Allen
What happened to Chase Allan?
Police released the footage on the afternoon of March 8, which showed Allan speaking and refusing to provide his ID when an officer pulled him over for a traffic stop. Allan said, "I don't need registration, and I don't answer questions," as per Vice. An officer then tells, “If you don’t step out we’re going to break the window and pull you out.” However, Allan does not leave the car and replies, “We’re going to have an issue.” A total of five cops yelled “gun” followed by firing a barrage of bullets hitting Allan, who later died at a hospital. During a press conference revealing the footage on March 8, Farmington Police Chief said the officers only fired after Allan reached down to what the cops believed could be a holster or a gun.
'I’ll call him a coward'
At a recent Farmington City Council meeting, several people criticized the police response. One of the speakers, Kerry Lund of Clearfield, said, "What’s the city going to do to train their code enforcement officers to keep from killing our kids? This has to end. That poor kid just had no license plate, no license plate on his car. And it took five code enforcement officers — dragged him out of his car and killed him.” Carolyn Lieutuvininkas of Ogden, who’s spoken out at Ogden City Council meetings, "I can’t believe this is the tyranny that exists in our city and towns. I’m astounded by that. I’ve seen more freedom in the other 25 countries I’ve been than we have right now here in the United States. And it has to stop.” While Walt English of Syracuse bashed one of the first responding officers in the March 1 incident and said, "I’ll call him a coward and I don’t care if you like it or not. Because he has a gun, a billy club, spray, a knife, a bulletproof vest, handcuffs, a Taser. What is he afraid of and why did he go so fast? Your police department needs deescalation training really bad.”