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Man shot and killed by Vancouver officers had 2 replica handguns, police say

Police said callers reported the man was waving guns and pointing them at passersby.

VANCOUVER, Wash. — A man shot and killed by two Vancouver police officers on Feb. 28 had been waving two replica gun around and pointing them at people before he was shot, according to police.

The shooting occurred near West 12th and Jefferson streets. Police responded to a report of a disturbance with a weapon at around 4:45 p.m.

Callers reported the man, later identified as 29-year-old Michael Eugene Pierce, was waving guns and pointing them at passersby. A short time later, officers arrived and shot Pierce after he pointed the guns at them, police said. 

The guns were determined to be replicas, according to investigators.

Credit: Vancouver police
Police provided photos of the replica handguns (left) and real versions of the same firearms (right).

A neighbor said he heard police fire several shots.

"I was in the back room and I heard some yelling, then I heard pop, pop, pop," said Joe Lawson.

Lawson said he tried to run over to Pierce but officers told him he'd be shot if he did. Lawson said nobody gave Pierce CPR.

"All those officers were on the north end of the block and over here, and they watched him die," Lawson said.

Friends said Pierce was getting help from a nearby homeless shelter called Share House. Janelle McDavid said Pierce talked "psychobabble" about feeling like a failure and wanting to end his life.

"I want to hate the Vancouver Police Department, I really do," said McDavid. "But I know right from wrong, and it's hard to swallow, but they did what they needed to do."

McDavid said the guns were not real. 

Another friend said Pierce was focused on getting better for his daughter.

"That's all he was trying to do. He didn't deserve this, he really didn't," said Kayla Nicole.

The Columbian reports Pierce was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia as a teenager but had stopped taking medication. Pierce's sister, Miranda, told KGW her brother had mental health issues. But she thinks police could have handled the situation differently.

"He wasn't just some kid out here. He was our family," Miranda said. "He had a lot of mental problems. They could have talked him down. It was their choice not to."

The officers were not injured. They were identified as Officer Christopher Douville, 34, and Officer Andrew Dunbar, 28. Douville has been with Vancouver police since 2013. Dunbar has been with Vancouver police since 2017.

They were placed on critical incident leave, per standard protocol.

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