Body camera footage released in fatal police shooting in Westover

Shannon Marvel McNaught
Salisbury Daily Times

UPDATE: The States Attorney’s Office of Somerset County declined to prosecute any officers involved in the April 25, 2022, shooting death of William Robert Brink, 24. An Aug. 3, 2022, completed report by the Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General concluded: “Based on the evidence that is available, it is unlikely the State could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any officer did not act in self-defense or pursuant to law-enforcement justification.” The detailed report includes an overview and fact finding beginning with the robbery at gunpoint of a person known to Brink through the events of the shooting, medical examination, civilian witness statements, paramedic, EMT and law enforcement officer statements, along with background of all officers involved and more.

The Maryland Office of the Attorney General has released body-worn camera footage from a police-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a Salisbury man.

William Robert Brink, 24, was shot by law enforcement on April 25 in Westover. The video footage, which lasts about 6 minutes and 30 seconds in length, is from the body-worn camera of a Princess Anne officer who did not fire their weapon.

A brief description in text first appears, followed by almost four minutes of footage from the body-worn camera. At the end, a portion of the footage is replayed in slower motion without sound.

The video appears consistent with information previously released by the attorney general, while providing additional detail and an apparent attempt by Brink to kill himself.

Somerset County Sheriff's deputies responded to a convenience store at about 11:30 a.m. that Monday after a 911 caller reported a man "had pointed a handgun at him and demanded money before fleeing the area," according to the attorney general's office.

"Shortly thereafter," about two miles away, Somerset County Sgt. Kevin Goepfert spotted a man matching the suspect's description and approached him, the attorney general's office said. Shots were exchanged between the two, though the attorney general's office has yet to say who fired first.

Law enforcement runs alongside a train in pursuit of William Robert Brink on April 25, 2022, in Westover.

The video begins after the first exchange of gunfire and shows at least two law enforcement officers in the area of a stationary freight train. The officers move alongside the train cars, which border trees to one side. There's some radio chatter, and the officer with the camera says, "That's us, here." Another officer says, "He's coming right at us."

A few seconds later, a figure is seen ahead and an officer yells, "Let me see your hands!" The officer wearing the camera yells something unintelligible, but the word "gun" is heard.

BACKGROUND:Man dies after exchange of gunfire with law enforcement, Maryland attorney general says

The person, later identified as Brink, then ran into a field near the intersection of Route 13 and Perry Road. By this point, Somerset deputies, Maryland State Police and Princess Anne police are on scene, according to the attorney general's office.

In the video, the officer wearing the camera and two others run under the train, then alongside it going in the opposite direction. An officer with a vest on that says "SHERIFF" says into his radio, "We're about 300 yards off the road."

In the distance, officers are yelling, "On the ground!"

Brink comes into view. It's broad daylight, but he's at a distance from the officer wearing the camera and appears small in the frame.

What appears to be a single shot is heard and Brink falls to the ground, now out of view behind some vegetation. "He just shot himself," the officer with the camera says, though the footage is not clear at that distance and the Office of the Attorney General had not specified a self-inflicted injury as of May 16. Another officer calls for EMS on the radio; however, Brink resurfaces, again standing up.

There's background noise as the officer with the camera moves forward, then about a dozen shots are heard and Brink falls again.

RELATED:Fatal Somerset County shooting: Names of person shot, law enforcement involved released

"Subject's down," the officer radios. "Shots fired."

According to the attorney general, Maryland State Police Cpl. Jason Dykes and Somerset County Sheriff's Office Deputy 1st Class Anthony Jackson were the officers who fired their weapons.

In the video, two law enforcement officers who were closer, with guns drawn, reach Brink first, with the officer with the camera a few feet behind. 

"Ambulance, call an ambulance," one of them says.

"They're on their way," the officer with the camera says.

Brink is laying on the ground, and his image is blurred from this point on by the Office of the Attorney General for "privacy." 

"Everybody good?" an officer asks. "Talk to me," another says to Brink, "Talk, talk, talk!"

"No one's saying you're a bad guy," an officer says, presumably in response to an unintelligible remark by Brink. "How far out are they?" he yells to the others in reference to EMS.

The officer with the camera then traverses a ditch. When Brink comes back into view, an officer is on his knees next to him and asks him, "Do you have anything else on you?" Two other officers are standing with them.

The officer on the ground asks if anyone has gloves, and the officer with the camera says, "I'll get some." The officer on the ground again asks Brink if he has "anything else" on him, and the video ends.

Brink was the only person injured in the incident, and a gun was found next to him, the attorney general's statement said. Police "rendered aid until medical personnel arrived," the attorney general said.

Brink was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital.

Viewer discretion is advised. The video was released on YouTube and can be viewed here. 

The Independent Investigations Division within the attorney general's office is leading the inquiry into the shooting. The unit is charged with investigating all civilian deaths involving police.

In such cases, the attorney general's office typically release the names of those involved within 48 hours of a fatality and body-worn camera footage within 14 days. The video in this case was released about three weeks after the incident; a reason for the additional days was not provided in the news release. 

The Somerset County shooting is the third Eastern Shore case being investigated by the Independent Investigations Division since its creation as part of the 2021 police reform package passed by Maryland lawmakers.