Authorities on Thursday released body-worn and doorbell camera footage, as well as 911 recordings, from a deadly shooting and subsequent house firethat happened April 27.
The graphic videos wereposted to the Weber County Attorney’s YouTube page on May 4.
“On the evening of Thursday, April 27, 2023, 66-year-old Jeffrey Roberts from Long Beach, CA, drove to his brother’s house in North Ogden, UT, parking his van in the driveway,” according to the WCAO’s video. “At approximately 7:11 p.m., he approached the front door and rang the doorbell. The occupants of the home, Scott Roberts and his wife, (Jodi Roberts), were eating dinner alone when Jeffrey Roberts arrived.”
The footage that followed showed suspect Jeffrey Roberts arriving at the front door and ringing the bell twice while waiting for someone to answer. During this time, he can be seen adjusting something hidden in the left side of his sweater.
Scott Roberts eventually answers the door. While he’s not shown on the video, he can be heard in the following exchange:
Jeffrey : Hey, what’s up?
Scott : What are you doing?
Jeffrey : I came to [inaudible] I came by to see mom.
Scott : She’s not here.
Jeffrey: Where’s she at?
Scott: Missouri.
Jeffrey: What’s she doing there?
Scott: Well, she’s living with Lorinda’s mom, who’s taking care of her.
Jeffrey: Really?
Scott: Yep.
Jeffrey: Well, how long’s she been there?
Scott: Well, about — about a year.
Jeffrey: Really?
Jeffrey Roberts then removes a gun concealed inside his sweater and fires multiple shots at his brother. The victim is never seen being hit, but at least eight shots are fired as the suspect enters the home and out of view of the camera before the footage ends.
He can also be heard yelling as the shots are being fired, though his words are inaudible. According to a time code at the bottom of the Ring.com footage, the first shot was fired at 7:12 p.m.
Neighbors who heard the gunshots began calling 911. A man who lives next door to the Roberts is heard in a in a distressed state in 911 audio telling a dispatcher that he heard what he thought were gunshots, but, “I’m not sure about that.”
Over the span of about 13 minutes, the doorbell camera was triggered by motion several times as Jeffrey Roberts entered and exited the home and as police responded. The video kicked on again at 7:13 p.m., showing Jeffrey Roberts leaving through the front door and out of site of the camera momentarily. He can then be seen returning with a large bag in his left hand that appears to contain heavy items, and a shotgun in his right hand.
At 7:14 p.m., at least one more shot can be heard, and possibly another before the camera cuts out for a span of about 5 minutes. When it retriggers again at 7:19 p.m., Jeffrey Roberts can be seen frantically pacing in and out of the front walkway while talking with someone on the phone. The short portion of the conversation that was captured by surveillance is difficult to decipher due to blaring smoke alarms inside the home that were drowning out multiple words.
He can be heard telling the person on the phone about his “turtles” and his “bank account” before the camera goes dark again.
“Preliminary investigation shows that Jeffrey Roberts began to fire on police as they arrive on scene,” according to WCAO. “This was not captured by the doorbell camera.”
When the Ring cam kicks back on at 7:20 p.m., police vehicles can be seen on the street beyond two pillars at the home’s entrance, which are pocked with bullet holes. Jeffrey Roberts then re-enters the camera’s view as he runs out of the front door and toward the street while firing his gun handgun.
He’s hit multiple times by officers’ bullets, deployed from police out of the camera’s sight, and collapses between the two pillars. A group of officers can be seen approaching Jeffrey Roberts with their guns drawn.
“The officers came under immediate fire upon arrival,” according to the attorney’s office. “Three officers returned fire. Only one officer was able to immediately activate his body camera.”
