VANCOUVER – On Tuesday (May 26) at about 6:35 a.m., Vancouver Police responded to a residential burglary in the 10900 block of NE 48th Street. A woman reported she woke up to the sound of someone smashing windows in her residence and believed it was a male who was known to her who had tried to break into her residence a few days earlier. The woman left the residence and got into her vehicle to wait for police.
When police arrived, they located a male holding a knife approaching a woman in her yard. The male refused police commands to drop the knife and kept moving toward the woman. A Vancouver Police Officer discharged his firearm, striking the male. Officers provided medical aid to the male at the scene prior to his transport to the hospital where he is receiving further medical treatment.
The Vancouver Police officer involved in the shooting, and two witness officers, have been placed on critical incident leave, per standard protocol.
The information being released is preliminary, and this is an ongoing investigation. The Vancouver Police Department notified the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII), who will be investigating the shooting.
As part of the Vancouver Police Department’s Body Worn Camera (BWC) Program, video captured by body-worn cameras and in-car cameras will be reviewed and released at a later time.
In compliance with WAC 139-12, Vancouver Police Department personnel will not be involved in the independent investigation.
• All future communications will be sent by the OII.
• The OII will release the name of the involved officer.
• Once the OII investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.
No further information is available.
Information provided by the Vancouver Police Department.
