Man in court in alleged police confrontation

A transient man who allegedly confronted police armed with a tire iron and knife outside the Vancouver Police Department’s West Precinct made a first appearance Thursday in Clark County Superior Court.

William E. Abbe, 48, appeared on suspicion of second-degree assault, third-degree malicious mischief and resisting arrest in connection with the Wednesday incident.

Shortly after 9 p.m., three officers heard loud banging coming from the front of the precinct at 2800 N.E. Stapleton Road. They said they went outside to investigate and found Abbe striking a wall with a tire iron, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The officers announced their presence as police to Abbe, but he began approaching them aggressively with the tire iron in one hand and a knife in the other. They said they ordered Abbe to stop and to “put down the weapons or you will be shot,” the affidavit says.

However, Abbe continued to approach them, reportedly saying, “Just shoot me, go ahead.” An officer deployed a Taser to try to stop Abbe and multiple officers wrestled with him until he was taken into custody, court records state.

Abbe was transported to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center for treatment and was later booked into the Clark County Jail, according to court documents.

On Thursday, Judge Gregory Gonzales set Abbe’s bail at $20,000. He will be arraigned June 13.