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New body camera video taken by National Park Service rangers shows what led to the shooting of what was considered to be a "dangerous suspect" near Lake Powell earlier this month.
On May 3, the National Park Service (NPS) was initially alerted to a report of a man with a machete attempting to break into an occupied vehicle by the Coconino County Sheriff's Office. Later that night, NPS officers learned of a man in a pickup truck "acting erratically" on Highway 89 in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which encompasses Lake Powell.
Caller below alerts 911 of driver showing "erratic behavior" on road:
NPS officers performed a traffic stop on the pickup truck and were able to identify the driver, Gregory Aaron Farley, as the one whom they had been alerted earlier. As officers were speaking to Farley during the stop, he drove off and fled the scene in his truck.
Body cam video below shows Farley fleeing traffic stop:
With the officers in pursuit on Highway 89, Farley turned around and swerved toward the officers' vehicle as they passed. As the pursuit continued, Farley performed another U-turn on the road and crashed his truck into the NPS vehicle.
After the collision, the NPS officers are seen in the body camera firing their weapons at Farley's truck and calling for backup assistance.
Body camera videos below shows one officers firing at Farley from inside his vehicle after collision:
Second officer is seen below getting out of NPS vehicle and firing at Farley from outside:
Farley remained in his truck for over 45 minutes while officials negotiated his surrender, which he later did, and was transported to a hospital in Page and treated for non-critical injuries from a single gunshot wound. He was later released from the hospital and charged with assault on a federal officer.
Video below shows Farley surrendering to police following standoff:
The NPS officers involved in the incident were treated for minor injuries at the hospital and released.
This incident is still under investigation and is being led by the Iron Garfield Beaver Kane Critical Incident Task Force and Utah Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.
