Image supplied, Weber County Attorney's Office

OGDEN — The preliminary probe into the June 13 officer-involved shooting in Ogden that left Alex Lopez dead states that he fired his gun five times.

A total of 13 shots were fired in the exchange, according to police audio and video of the incident released Monday by the Weber County Attorney’s office, which suggests the sole officer who fired in the incident discharged his weapon eight times. The report, however, doesn’t specify how many times the officer fired his gun.

The video briefing reiterates prior police statements that Lopez, 23, fired first, but otherwise doesn’t provide many new details. It does, though, offer a visual take of exactly happened. As is the norm with preliminary reports coming from the county attorney’s office, it doesn’t offer a formal determination as to whether the officer was justified in the use of deadly force.

“One of the individuals fired at the officer as he arrived,” reads narrative from the 11 minute, 50 second video report. “This individual is later identified as Alex Chase Lopez. The officer then returned fire.”

The June 13 shootout occurred in the 700 block of Eighth Street, a residential neighborhood. But the turn of events began earlier, around 1:30 a.m., with a 911 call to authorities reporting that a man — later identified as Lopez — had been brandishing a gun at a bar on Historic 25th Street in Ogden, Historic Place at 162 25th St.

Image supplied, Weber County Attorney's Office

Monday’s video briefing includes audio from the 911 call, footage from body cameras worn by two officers involved in the shootout and footage from a security camera at a home on Eighth Street.

After the 911 call, police ultimately tracked Lopez to the Eighth Street location, where the deadly confrontation occurred. Police body camera footage shows the view from the rear and sides of a police car as the two responding officers track Lopez, walking around his vehicle in front of them, and a second person who had been in the Lopez vehicle. The second person fled and remains at large.

Shots ring out, 13 in all, as the police variously shout commands at Lopez and call for backup. Five of the shots came from Lopez, according to Monday’s report.

“Show me your hands!” an officer says at one point.

“You can’t see anything. Shots fired, shots fired! Send everyone!” says another.

Photo supplied

Lopez suffered four gunshot wounds, according to his obituary, and died on Eighth Street in front of his car.

Lopez had been armed with a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, according to Monday’s report. He had been on parole from a 2018 conviction in Davis County related to a pair of reported gang-related drive-by shootings in Layton.

Lopez’s obituary, using his middle name, Chase, indicated that he led a dual existence.

“Chase was a perfectionist at all he did whether it was getting straight A’s and being a team leader at his current job at Rubicon in Ogden or getting into trouble,” it reads. It went on to say that Lopez had big dreams and loved his family “but no matter how hard he tried he ultimately lost his life to the other kind of life he was addicted to.”

Four deadly officer-involved shootings have occurred in Weber County since late April, including the Lopez incident.

An April 27 shootout between North Ogden police and Jeffrey Roberts left Roberts dead. A shootout involving Ogden Police on June 6 led to the death of Brian Simonton. A man, yet to be identified, was also killed Friday in a shootout in Roy.

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