Dash Cam Video Shows Officer's Struggle For His Life
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (WCCO) -- Video from a squad car showing a vicious attack on a Brooklyn Park police officer last November is now public.
It reveals a desperate struggle to survive as a man wanted on an outstanding felony warrant grabs for the officer's gun. The video released Thursday captures the officer's screams for help as 25-year-old Lance Carr begins punching, choking and wrestling with officer Sean Hyman.
Hennepin County jurors watched the compelling video and convicted Carr of felony assault of a police officer.
Just minutes after officer Sean Hyman stopped a white car on a noise complaint, he learns the driver, Carr, is wanted on a felony theft warrant.
"He asked Carr to step out of the vehicle and place his hands behind his back," Brooklyn Park Police Chief Chief Craig Enevoldsen said.
But when officer Hyman attempts the arrest, trouble begins. Carr suddenly turns and repeatedly punches Hyman. The two lock in a struggle and fall to the ground.
"At that point I think he (Hyman) knows or determines that this is a fight for his life," Enevoldsen said.
On Thursday, law enforcement released the nine-minute video to show the public why no police officer's stop is ever routine. Officer Hyman is on patrol alone that night and begins screaming help. At that point, neighbors hear his screams and call 911 for police backup.
You can hear citizens screaming at Carr to get off the officer, but to no avail.
"Had officer Hyman not done some of the things he had done to get additional help, I think this ends much differently," Enevoldsen said.
But before that help arrives, Hyman fires his gun but misses Carr. There's a struggle for Hyman's pistol, and he ejects the clip, rendering it unable to fire additional rounds.
Finally, three minutes after the struggle begins, sirens are heard and backup arrives.
But even then, Carr doesn't stop his assault of Hyman. It took a shot fired from a police officer's Taser gun and the tackling of three other officers to do that.
"This could have had a very different outcome if the officers had not arrived when they did and/or the citizens had not intervened how they chose to intervene that night," Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said.
Officer Hyman was off the job for 16 days after the incident - he's now back on patrol.
Sentencing for Lance Carr will be June 17, where he could face a penalty of between 10 to 20 years for the first-degree felony assault of officer Hyman.