VANCOUVER, Wash. — A man is dead after being shot by a Vancouver police officer Saturday afternoon.
According to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), around 1:45 p.m., police responded to a call about a man with a German Shepherd that was running loose and had bitten at least one person, who later notified police they were seeking medical treatment for bite wounds. Police also said the man was "described as having a firearm" and walking west on the trail near the river.
Around 2:59 p.m., police saw the man and the dog in the area of Columbia Avenue and Columbia Way. The dog then attempted to bite a person, VPD reported.
When officers approached, the man "displayed what appeared to be a firearm and pointed it at one of the officers." An officer, who has not yet been identified, then shot the man, who died at the scene despite medical aid.
The dog remained aggressive toward emergency personnel and "was eventually secured to a dumpster to prevent any further injuries from the dog," VPD said. The dog was then transported to the Humane Society.
On Tuesday, the city of Vancouver added that "a 40mm foam baton round was used in an attempt to get the dog to move away" so officers could render first aid to the man they'd shot. The dog was still at the Humane Society as of that statement.
No officers were injured during the encounter.
Per standard protocol, two Vancouver officers are now on critical incident leave, and the incident is under investigation by the SW Washington Independent Investigation Response Team (SWIIRT), led by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, said VPD. Body camera and in-car cameras will be reviewed and released later.
On Friday, Clark County Sheriff's Office identified the officers as Brandon Riedel, who's been with VPD since 2018, and Stuart Drynan, who's been with the department since January 2023.
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