Salt Lake City Man Threatens Protesters With Hunting Bow, Brandishes Machete

A Salt Lake City man used a hunting bow to threaten protesters, who seemed to be nonviolent at the time. As witnesses captured in multiple videos, the man, who later identified himself as Brandon McCormick, got out of his car and pulled out a hunting bow. As protesters began to confront the man for his action, he aimed at the crowds around him. Soon, members of the protest confronted and disarmed him.

Footage later showed the man’s vehicle toppled over and in flames. As this video began to go viral, another clip of the man from earlier in the day also surfaced. In this one, McCormick brandished a machete and approached protesters. However, the story did not end there. Some assumed police would arrest McCormick for his actions, but they apparently did not.

After being beaten by the crowd, McCormick was interviewed by a local FOX affiliate and fabricated a story about his injuries. McCormick claimed he was attacked through the window of his car by two black men. He claimed the duo attacked him for saying “all lives matter.”

Footage of the incident tells a drastically different story, and the FOX affiliate had to retract their earlier story and clarify what actually happened. As one of the station’s anchors said, “This a very different story than what we were told.”

Police have now taken notice of McCormick’s actions. In a tweet posted late Saturday night, the Salt Lake City Police Department said they have identified the man and are looking into further action. “While we do not have the individual who was brandishing a bow and arrow in custody, we do know who he is. We intend to screen charges against him,” the department statement read.

This altercation with protesters came during a day of unrest in Salt Lake City as citizens protested the killings of George Floyd and other unarmed black men and women by police. The local police department is also facing heat for another viral moment from their protests, in which an officer pushes down an elderly man walking with a cane.