SALT LAKE CITY — Newly-released body cam video shows Salt Lake City police officers firing at a man who had lit his yard on fire and threatened firefighters and officers with a gun.
On July 9, Salt Lake City Fire requested assistance from police after they responded to a home near 1400 South Utahna Drive where neighbors said the suspect, Peter Michael Larsen, was lighting his yard and grass on fire.
Firefighters said Larsen, 44, had threatened to shoot them on the scene.
Raw video below shows shots fired from different police body cameras
Instead of exiting the house when ordered to do so by police, Larsen emerged with a gun, prompting officers to yell and warn him to drop the weapon. When Larsen failed to drop the gun, two officers fired their weapon at Larsen, who then went back inside the house.
With the fire growing outside, police moved inside the house about 25 minutes after the shooting and were able to remove Larsen from the home.
Larsen was treated for non-threatening injuries during the incident and arrested. No officers were injured during the shooting, according to the department.
“I am very proud of how our officers responded to this situation. Based on a preliminary review of the body-worn camera footage, our officers acted quickly to protect firefighters, neighbors and fellow officers. They used time and distance to their advantage, but they still found themselves in a situation that quickly intensified,” said Salt Lake City police chief Mike Brown.
