OII passes 60-day point in Vancouver Police Department use of deadly force investigation

To date, OII investigators have collected six security videos from the surrounding area and conducted 14 witness interviews

The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations(OII) is just past 60 days into its investigation of a use of deadly force that took place around midnight on the evening of Saturday, December 27, 2025, in Vancouver.

The two officers involved are Officer Sean Donaldson and Officer Christopher Holmquist, both with the Vancouver Police Department. The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the deceased as Perry J. Sellars, age 44, of Vancouver.

According to a statement from Vancouver P.D., officers were called to the 13200 block of NE 46th Street in Vancouver just before midnight following a report of a disturbance involving a weapon. As the report stated, 9-1-1 operators were told a man had fired at least one round from a firearm before police arrived and had pointed the firearm at a woman. During the confrontation that occurred after officers arrived, officers Donaldson and Holmquist discharged their firearms, striking Sellars, who was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. 

To date, OII investigators have collected six security videos from the surrounding area and conducted 14 witness interviews. OII investigators also collected 51 body-worn camera and 40 in-car camera videos to review as part of the investigation. This includes video from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, which responded to the incident after the shooting and was not involved in the use of force.

As part of the investigation, a tip line was also established to receive information from the public. No calls have been received to date but the tip line remains active and can be reached at (564) 250-3610. All information provided to OII is subject to public disclosure, as required by RCW 42.56, the Public Records Act.

An OII family liaison has been assigned to work with the family of Sellars to ensure they remain informed of the progress of the investigation. The family liaison role serves as a point of contact for the family of the deceased throughout the OII investigation and can connect family members to available community resources as needed.  

This investigation remains active and ongoing. Once completed, a Final Case Report will be posted to the OII website. No further updates are anticipated until the Final Case Report is completed.

The state Legislature created OII in 2021 to conduct independent investigations of deadly use of force by law enforcement. The 11-member OII Advisory Board reviews and provides input on agency policies. Visit oii.wa.gov/news-and-updates for a web view.