Clark County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a man who they say appeared to have a gun while responding to a welfare check early Tuesday morning in Brush Prairie. The shooting was captured on the deputies’ body-worn cameras. Five deputies were placed on critical incident leave, which is standard protocol, the agency said. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)Photo Gallery
Clark County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a man they say appeared to have a gun early Tuesday morning in Brush Prairie. The deputies were there to check on a woman after her daughter called 911 to express concerns about her safety.
The shooting was captured on the deputies’ body-worn cameras, the sheriff’s office said. Five deputies were placed on critical incident leave, which is standard protocol. The Southwest Washington Independent Investigation Team will be responsible for releasing their names.
Deputies responded at 12:05 a.m. to 12521 N.E. 152nd Ave. Deputies suspected a woman was being held against her will by a male family member, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
When deputies arrived, they tried to detain the man, but he pulled out what appeared to be a firearm, and deputies shot him, according to the sheriff’s office. They provided him aid until medical personnel arrived and later pronounced the man dead, the news release states.
Emergency dispatch logs show the shooting was reported at 1:24 a.m.
The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the man’s identity and cause and manner of death.
The woman was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated. No deputies were injured, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities on Tuesday didn’t release the name of the woman or the man who was shot.
Clark County property records show the house is in a trust belonging to Regina Gamage and Mark Basham. The property also appears to be the site of Gamage’s counseling services and a hypnotherapy practice belonging to Basham called Heart Bridge Hypnosis.
Late Tuesday morning, a neighbor, Norma Prouty, said she was shocked to hear of the shooting in such a quiet area. She didn’t know the house’s residents, she said, and people in the area mostly keep to themselves.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Skidmore said the agency will release the body camera footage of the incident, but he did not yet have a date for its release.
The Southwest Washington Independent Investigation Team, led by the Vancouver Police Department, is investigating the shooting. The sheriff’s office also said it notified the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations.
Vancouver police detectives were conducting interviews and confirming information Tuesday afternoon, according to police spokeswoman Kim Kapp. She said more information may be available today.
Once the investigation is complete, it will be sent to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.
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