Minutes after fatally shooting a man who was in the midst of a mental health crisis, Idaho officer Brittany Brokop turned to her colleague and said, “Guess I’m gonna lose my gun again.”
The comments were captured on bodycam footage obtained by NBC News this week, nearly five months after law enforcement shot and killed 48-year-old Michael Trappett at his parent’s Orofino home. According to the outlet, officers arrived at the scene after Trappett’s sister called 911, saying the man had become aggressive. She reportedly told the operator the man struggled with bipolar disorder and had become increasingly aggressive.
Responding officers Brokop and fellow deputy Randall Carruth confronted Trappett outside the residence, before he allegedly pulled out a knife and started shouting. He ignored officers’ repeated demands to drop the weapon.
“Come and shoot me,” Trappett said.
“No, we don’t want to shoot you, man,” Carruth responded. “Just talk to us.”
The video then shows Trappett walking as officers begin to follow. Seconds later, the man turns around and holds up the knife in a stabbing posture with Brokop 10 feet away. The officers then fired more than a dozen shots at Trappett, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brokop immediately expressed concern she would lose her gun because of the incident. Her fellow officer responded, “Me too. But we didn’t have a choice.”
Shortly after the shooting, Clearwater County Sheriff Chris Goetz announced Brokop had been placed on administrative leave. She and Carruth were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing and have since returned to duty.
The man’s family filed a federal lawsuit against the county sheriff’s office back in May, alleging excessive force.
“We think Brittany Brokop should be held accountable for her actions,” Trappett’s brother, Bill Trappett, told NBC News. “She’s gone too far.”
