Washington Police Officer Critically Wounded

July 1, 2014
Two suspects in the late-morning Monday shooting of a Vancouver police officer have been arrested.

Two suspects in the late-morning Monday shooting of a Vancouver police officer have been arrested, and the officer is in critical condition, Police Chief James McElvain said Monday afternoon.

Authorities have issued an all-clear alert for those who had been told to stay in their east Vancouver homes after one suspect remained at large, said Cresa, the dispatch agency.

McElvain said the motorcycle police officer, whom he didn't identify, was shot in the chest during a traffic stop shortly after 11:30 a.m. while pulling over a suspected stolen vehicle. The chief said the officer is in critical condition.

Vancouver chief talks about the shooting of one of his officers Vancouver police chief James McElvain talked Monday afternoon about the critical shooting of one of his officers during a traffic stop.

McElvain thanked neighbors who came to the assistance of the wounded officer.

"Very grateful for anyone who would take the time, especially under dire conditions being aware that an officer-involved shooting had just occurred, that an officer was injured, that they're going to put themselves in harm's way as well," he said.

The officer was shot near Northeast 162nd Avenue and Northeast 34th Street. According to witness reports, the suspects then fled in what was described as a silver and black Jeep Cherokee. The driver crashed the vehicle into a tree at Northeast 148th Avenue and 34th, witnesses said.

The two suspects fled, but one was caught and arrested.

Police searched for the second suspect in a nearby neighborhood and advised the public to stay inside until notified.

Evergreen School District offices, Burton Elementary School and Early Childhood Center, which are all near the area, were placed on lockdown for about an hour. Summer activities were being held at the schools.

Debra McNeil, manager of the Acres Mobile Estates on 28th, said she received an automated call from Vancouver authorities on her landline about noon, advising her to stay inside because there was an armed suspect in the area.

"They said to say in your home with the windows and doors locked," she said. "I hear lots of sirens going by."

Vancouver Officer-involved Shooting Brett Scheer describes finding a bullet on his patio near where a Vancouver police officer was shot Monday.

Lisa Oldham was at work when her 18- and 20-year-old sons called her from home. "They've been told to lock the doors, stay away from the windows and stay down," said Oldham, who was near tears and extremely distressed. "Police said to get in the bathtub and lay down."

Jessica Roberts said her children, ages 12 and 16, also called her from home. She rushed from work to be with them, but police prevented her from crossing the barrier at 138th and 28th.

Residents of the neighborhood said police cordoned off the area and searched around their homes.

After the second suspect was caught, police lifted the alert about 2 p.m.

The Columbian newspaper reported that Vancouver Police Lt. Scott Creager said the officer made the stop of a car reported as stolen. When a dispatcher tried to contact the officer, the officer didn't answer and someone nearby came on radio saying an officer had been shot.

Jordan Gustafson said he saw the crash at 148th and 34th, and said the suspect ran into a tree. He said witnesses told him that the suspect then beat up an elderly man at the scene and stole his car. The witnesses said people near the crash tried to pull the suspect out of the elderly man's car, but he backed up and injured at least one person before driving off, Gustafson said.

Police deployed armored vehicles, at least one police dog and the interagency SWAT team to look for the suspect

Copyright 2014 - The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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