Cop tells man he’s about to kill, ‘You’re about to die, my friend’

Salt Lake City, UT – Protesters gathered in front of Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill’s office, July 8, to demand justice for Bryan Valencia and Chad Breinholt and all victims of police violence. Protesters chanted, “Justice for Chad Breinholt!” and “Justice for Bryan Valencia,” as posters with the same demands were hung on the DA’s office building.

Utah Against Police Brutality (UAPB) called the rally to bring attention to these two local cases that have not had the same spotlight as some other local and national police killings.

Breinholt was killed by West Valley City police inside of West Valley City Hall on August 23, 2019. He had his hands cuffed behind his back when he was killed. The officer who killed Breinholt said, “You’re about to die, my friend,” before firing the fatal shot. The officer had previously used lethal force in at least two other cases.

Breinholt’s family have waited for nearly a year for the investigation by Salt Lake Police Department and the district attorney to be concluded.

“These police killings have gone on for far too long with no resolution or closure for the family of these victims,” Breinholt’s family said in a statement. “The time is now, right now, to ensure that officers are held accountable and families of their victims get justice.”

Bryan Pena Valencia was killed by cops from the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake on March 21 of this year after he crashed his car and was pursued on foot. Since his death, Valencia’s family has been left with many unanswered questions. Adding salt to the wound was the revelation that there was no bodycam footage from officers who pursued and killed Valencia that morning.

The family was told that there was some video from other responding officers, but they have still not received even that footage.

“It has been too long. We need justice,” Valencia’s family said in a statement. “We are left without answers. His son needs answers and we all need peace. No family should have to wait this long for the truth.”

Speakers from Justice for Cody and Justice for Bernardo echoed the call for justice for all victims of police brutality and condemned the lack of accountability for killer cops. Representatives from Insurgence USA and For the People SLC also spoke in support of the demands made by families and the struggle for justice against racist police.