Prosecutor Releases Police Vehicle Footage From Deadly ATF Raid on Bryan Malinowski’s Home
In a significant development, Pulaski County Prosecutor Will Jones made public dash-camera footage from a police vehicle, capturing the events of a March 19 ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) raid at the home of Bryan Malinowski, an Arkansas airport executive. The footage was released on June 20, shedding new light on the controversial operation that occurred before dawn, leading to Malinowski’s death.
The release of this footage follows Jones’s announcement that federal agents and officers from the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) had used appropriate levels of deadly force during the operation. However, the dash-camera footage offers limited perspective, mainly showing the police vehicle’s view and not directly capturing ATF agents’ actions, as they did not wear body cameras during the raid.
According to Jones’s investigation, law enforcement announced themselves and breached Malinowski’s door, which was swiftly met with gunfire from inside the house, resulting in Malinowski’s death. Notably, an LRPD officer activated his car’s sirens briefly at the inception of the raid, followed by the sounds of shouting and the eventual forced entry into the Malinowski residence.
The dash-camera’s timestamp provides a minute-by-minute account, starting with the initial approach and entry, leading to the confrontation with Malinowski, who was armed at the time. Shortly after, gunfire is heard, and distressing audio captures the aftermath, including the cries of a woman from inside the home, later identified as Maer Malinowski, Bryan’s wife.
The raid was predicated on ATF’s suspicion of Malinowski’s involvement in unlicensed gun sales, following a probe into his actions at local gun shows. The investigation highlighted a particular instance where a firearm linked to Malinowski surfaced during a traffic stop. This event triggered surveillance activities that cataloged Malinowski’s transactions, noting the absence of formal identification checks with buyers.
Underlining the legal intricacies, the ATF’s guidelines on private firearms transfers do not strictly require a license check, nor do they precisely outline when a private seller must obtain federal licensing. Despite these legal ambiguities, the ATF moved to redefine business-related firearms activities post-raid, a move that has since encountered legal pushback.
The Malinowski family has challenged the premise of the ATF’s actions, arguing that there were no clear grounds for believing that Bryan’s activities were illegal. Their attorney, Bud Cummins, highlighted the lack of clarity in the law and criticized the decision to execute a potentially dangerous raid in the early hours, rather than opting for a less confrontational approach.
Furthermore, doubts were raised about the agents’ tactics, including obscuring home security cameras and the absence of body cameras, which could have provided more transparency about the events as they unfolded.
As the community and Malinowski’s family seek answers, the released footage contributes to an ongoing dialogue about law enforcement practices, the use of force, and the legal framework governing firearms sales. Cummins’s statement emphasizes that the family’s concerns and questions persist, suggesting a continued pursuit of accountability and transparency in the tragic aftermath of the ATF raid on Malinowski’s home.
