BRUSH PRAIRIE, Wash. — Editor's note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault and rape that may be difficult for some people to read.
A Brush Prairie man who had been fatally shot by Clark County Sheriff's Office deputies during a welfare check had evidence of a rape and multiple weapons, including pipe bombs, on his property, according to search warrants unsealed on Tuesday.
A search warrant had been requested by detectives after the Feb. 20 fatal shooting and was authorized by Clark County Superior County Judge D. Gregerson, who found probable cause and authorized a warrant.
The affidavit in support of the search warrant stated there was evidence regarding rape, unlawful imprisonment, possession of an explosive device and unlawful possession of a firearm, court documents said.
On Feb. 20, deputies responded to a 911 call from a woman requesting a welfare check on her mother after receiving a call from her. The woman said her mother was acting strange and said she was "being held hostage" by 53-year-old Jonathan Gale. She also said that there were "guns everywhere," according to court documents.
After deputies arrived at a secluded property in Brush Prairie off Northeast 152nd Avenue north of 119th Street, they found Gale and the victim standing outside of the RV where he lived.
At the scene, deputies talked with the victim, who said Gale had been acting strangely lately and that he'd sexually assaulted her, adding that Gale was armed and that she wanted to go home. Body cam footage showed deputies asking Gale if he had any guns, but when one of the deputies moved forward to pat Gale down, he backed up and pulled a gun from beneath his jacket. The deputies began shouting commands, drew out their guns and opened fire.
The medical examiner's office reported that Gale's manner and cause of death by multiple gunshot wounds to the torso.
The woman told deputies in an interview that she and Gale were extended family members, and that they reconnected in the summer of 2023, communicating through text messages and phone calls. It was not a romantic relationship, the affidavit said.
That day, Gale stopped by her house to invite her to visit "his new place," according to court documents. The victim agreed, and Gale drove her to his motor home.
Shortly after entering, court documents said Gale picked up a gun and bound her with an electric cable. Gale then asked "if she wanted to be raped by him or 5 friends," then raped and sodomized the victim on his bed for several hours. The victim said no one else was in the trailer, court documents state.
She said during the rape, she noticed a "video camera set up near the bed," as well as several cell phones lying around.
Found at the scene
Inside Gale's motor home, law enforcement located "at least ten" items that looked like "pipe bombs" with "'black tape and suspected fuses' protruding from them.'" The explosive devices are unlawful to possess under state law, court documents said. Even if they are fakes, they still could be considered unlawful.
Authorities also seized Gale's black Motorola Android phone "inside a case that was lined with tin (aluminum) foil," according to court documents. It is currently in the custody of Vancouver Police. Investigators have requested his phone records from the cellphone carrier.
Detectives located the electric cable used to bind her, as well as the video camera that recorded the rape.
Also found at the scene were "at least two handguns" and "firearms paraphernalia," also found near Gale's body.
Resources
If you or someone you know have experienced sexual assault and need support, help is available.
The Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or rainn.org. It is available 24/7.
You can also contact the Sexual Assault Resource Center, (503) 626-9100. They are located at 4900 SW Griffith Drive Ste. 135, Beaverton, OR 97005.