The apparent firearm a man pointed at a Vancouver police officer before the officer fatally shot him was a modified cap gun, investigators said
Friday.
Video footage of the June 8 police shooting near the Vancouver waterfront shows Vadim Sashchenko, 43, point what appears to be a gun at an officer before the officer exits his car and fires four shots, killing him. During the shooting, the apparent firearm is thrown to the ground.
“The item appears to be a Super Cap Gun manufactured in China,” according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the shooting investigation as part of the Southwest Washington Independent Investigation Team. “The item is sold with an orange tip, which can be broken off. There was no orange tip on the replica firearm used in this incident. It appears the grips on the sides of the replica firearm came off during the incident.”
The Vancouver Police Department released the footage last week from the in-car and body cameras of Officers Brandon Riedel and Stuart Drynan. Investigators also released the officers’ names last week. Both officers are on critical incident leave, as per standard protocol.
Vancouver police were called about 1:45 p.m. to the 100 block of Southeast Columbia Way, just east of the Interstate 5 Bridge. A caller said a man was letting his German shepherd dog run loose, and the dog had already bitten one person. The caller also said the man appeared to have a firearm, according to police.
Officers located Sashchenko and his dog about 3 p.m. in the 300 block of Columbia Street. The video compilation released last week shows Riedel and Drynan drive toward Sashchenko, whose dog was trailing behind him with its leash dragging on the ground.
Riedel can be heard saying over the police radio that Sashchenko was walking and giving them the middle finger. Sashchenko then pulls out the cap gun and points it at Riedel while the officer is still in his patrol SUV, the video shows.
Riedel can be seen putting his SUV in park, exiting it and immediately shooting Sashchenko. After the first shot, the cap gun falls from Sashchenko’s hand, the video shows. He can then be seen falling to the ground.
Sashchenko was pronounced dead at the scene. He died from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, according to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Investigators have received and are reviewing written statements from the involved officers. Investigators have also been in contact with Sashchenko’s family members to keep them apprised of the investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.
