State office completes investigation into fatal shooting of Vancouver man by Clark County sheriff's deputy
May 15-The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations has completed its inquiry into the fatal shooting of a Vancouver man by a Clark County sheriff's deputy last summer and forwarded its findings to prosecutors for review.
The office's report released Friday details the July 30 shooting death of 36-year-old Branden Michael Whitcomb in Vancouver's Uptown Village.
Clark County sheriff's Deputy Michael Gonzalez fired four shots at Whitcomb after a brief chase that ended with Whitcomb pulling a stolen handgun from a bag, according to the report.
The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney's Office will now review the investigation to determine whether the use of deadly force was justified.
The incident began at 10:40 p.m. when Whitcomb's mother called 911 to report her son broke into her home and took her Springfield Armory 9mm handgun. She said he had been drinking and using methamphetamine, and making threats to harm himself, according to the report.
Transcripts of the 911 call show Whitcomb's mother told dispatchers he was going to kill her and that he had threatened to kill himself, before fleeing on a bicycle, the report states.
Vancouver police officers and Clark County sheriff's deputies converged on the area and spotted Whitcomb riding south on Main Street. At 10:50 p.m., officers attempted to stop him near West 21st Street.
According to body-worn camera footage and the investigative report, Whitcomb dropped his bicycle and ran to a recessed restaurant doorway at La Bottega Cafe, 1905 Main St.
Gonzalez and Vancouver Police Officer Wyatt Upshaw drew their weapons and ordered Whitcomb to the ground from about 30 to 35 feet away, according to the report.
Body-worn video shows Whitcomb kneeling and fumbling with an improvised sling bag across his chest. Gonzalez shouted multiple warnings that Whitcomb would be shot if he did not drop the weapon, according to the report.
Whitcomb then pulled a black handgun from the bag and appeared to raise it toward his own head, according to the report. At 10:51 p.m., Gonzalez fired four rounds, striking Whitcomb in the head, neck, torso, thigh and hand. He died at the scene despite life-saving measures. Gonzalez was the only officer to fire a weapon.
Forensic analysis later confirmed Whitcomb's DNA on the grip and trigger of the loaded weapon dropped beside him, according to the report.
Gonzalez, a K-9 handler who joined the sheriff's office in 2021, declined to be interviewed by state investigators. He provided a written statement saying he fired because Whitcomb pointed the gun at him, and he feared for his life. The investigative report notes that it's unclear from body-worn camera footage whether Whitcomb momentarily pointed the gun at the deputy before raising it.
This marks the third fatal law enforcement shooting Gonzalez has been involved in.
He was one of two deputies who fatally shot Benjamin Steven Woods, 41, of Prineville, Ore., on April 13, 2024. Woods was suspected in a carjacking spree, and deputies chased him into the American Legion Hall in Salmon Creek, which was crowded with bingo players. Body camera footage showed Woods pulling what appeared to be a gun from his pocket and raising it before the deputies shot him.
Gonzalez was also involved in the Oct. 17, 2021, pursuit that resulted in two deputies fatally shooting Kfin Karuo, 28, but records indicate Gonzalez did not fire his weapon.
The Office of Independent Investigations was established in 2021 to conduct comprehensive criminal inquiries into officer shootings and other incidents involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement. The agency does not recommend charges or make findings as to whether the use of force is justified or whether officers violated department policy, spokesperson Hector Castro said.
The office provided a copy of the final report to the family of Whitcomb, the Clark County Sheriff's Office and the attorney for Gonzalez, according to a news release.
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