Newly released body camera video shows the man charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death talking with an officer during a traffic stop in Washington state a month before the November killings.
The video shows a Washington State University campus police officer pull Bryan Kohberger over Oct. 14 in Pullman, Washington, on suspicion of running a red light, according to the Idaho Statesman, which obtained the video.
The university, which Kohberger attended, is about 8 miles west from where the killings took place.
The traffic stop is cited in an 18-page police probable-cause affidavit for Kohberger’s arrest in December. Authorities’ knowledge of Kohberger’s vehicle later played a role in identifying him as the suspect in the deaths of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
Kohberger, 28, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary. The victims were found Nov. 13 in a home near Idaho’s campus, and authorities arrested Kohberger at the end of December.
A red light and a traffic stop
The 10-minute video shows a WSU officer park her patrol vehicle behind Kohberger’s 2015 Hyundai Elantra in a parking lot. The officer approaches Kohberger and tells him he drove through a red light. She asks for Kohberger’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance.
Kohberger, then a WSU graduate student living in Pullman, tells the officer he was stuck in the middle of the intersection.
“You’re not supposed to enter the intersection at all for that reason because if the light turns red, then you’re stuck in the intersection,” the officer tells him.
Kohberger then discusses the details of his turn through the intersection and shares his license and registration, according to the video. Kohberger says he is unfamiliar with how to drive through crosswalks because he’s from rural Pennsylvania and asks for further explanation.
“It never even occurred to me that was actually something wrong,” Kohberger says. “I’m just curious about the law. I don’t mean to disagree with anything.”
Let go with a warning
The officer says Kohberger’s registration was current and lets him go with a warning.
Kohberger remained jailed without bond Friday. A custody hearing is set for late next month.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
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