A man caught on tape pointing a bow and arrow at Salt Lake City protesters back in May has pleaded guilty to two charges. (Photo: Sean Moody, KSL)
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City police announced Thursday afternoon that charges have been filed against Brandon Earl McCormick, the man seen with a bow and arrow at protests in downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday.
According to a statement, McCormick has been charged with two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of threatening to use a dangerous weapon in a fight or quarrel.
McCormick was alleged to have arrived to Saturday’s protests in Salt Lake City armed with a bow and arrow which he aimed at protesters after shouting “all lives matter.”
In a probable cause statement obtained by KSL Newsradio, McCormick initially obtained a large knife from his vehicle and was moving toward a crowd that was gathered nearby.
Video footage shows that McCormick then returned to his vehicle where he brought out a bow and arrow from the back seat. The video shows McCormick loading the arrow, then drawing it back.
The probable cause statement indicates that the video then shows McCormick pointing the bow with the arrow loaded and “drawing it back at several people in the crowd in a manner as if to shoot them.”
McCormick has reportedly been previously convicted of felony battery on a peace officer/fireman as well as felony possession of a dangerous weapon. These convictions originated in San Bernardino, California.
“I came down here to back the police up,” McCormick explained at the time. “I did have weapons in my car to back the police up.”
Video from the event shows protestors swarming the man after he tried to nock an arrow before tipping his car which then caught fire.
According to news reports and public records, McCormick has been charged with assault in the Taylorsville Justice Court stemming from a suspected road rage incident. Public records also show he also has a criminal history in California.