CLARK COUNTY, Wash. — After last weekend’s deadly case of mistaken identity in Clark County, many in the law enforcement community are paying attention to how it happened and what investigators will conclude.
“It's tragic on so many different levels,” said Dr. Keith Taylor a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. “It's tragic, it's heartbreaking to see innocent lives lost.”
Investigators said a Clark County Sheriff's Deputy shot and killed off-duty Vancouver police officer, Donald Sahota, outside Sahota's home Saturday night. Preliminary reports show that when the deputy pulled up, Sahota was on his porch, armed with a gun and within seconds, the deputy shot and killed Sahota; apparently mistaking him for a suspect that was on the run after an armed robbery.
“We know that loss of life would not have occurred but for that crime being committed,” said Taylor, who spent 23 years with the New York Police Department. He said remembering that point is critical in this case. It also brings to mind training and its limitations.
“The training is meant to be a guide. But the truth is, reality is much larger than what the training can offer,” said Taylor. “It can cover probable sceneries, but not every possible scenario.”
There's still much about this case that the public does not know. That includes exactly what the deputy saw before shooting Sahota. Investigators also said Sahota's wife told 911 dispatchers that her husband was an armed, off-duty police officer and was trying to detain the suspect. It's unclear if that was relayed to deputies.
As investigators sift through those details there's something else to consider: new police reforms in Washington designed to limit use of force. Specifically, officers can only use force when there is probable cause to arrest for a crime or if there's an imminent threat of bodily injury.