The Clark County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that the suspect in a burglary and officer-involved shooting nearly struck an officer with a stolen car when he was fleeing.
Vancouver Police Department Cpl. Roger Evans fired his gun at the suspect, who evaded arrest. The sheriff’s office’s Major Crimes Unit, which has been tasked with investigating the shooting, is continuing its search for the suspect and released 3-D animations of the path of a stolen car in hopes that the public can help identify the suspect.
Officers were dispatched at 12:06 a.m. Oct. 13 to a commercial alarm at 6714 N.E. 18th St. Responding officers found evidence of a burglary, and a male was seen inside the building, according to police.
The police department initially reported that the suspect exited the building in a vehicle while officers were setting up containment, and Evans fired his weapon.
According to the sheriff’s office update, the suspect stole a Range Rover SUV from inside the building. A garage bay door opened and the SUV accelerated out, “nearly striking one of the officers on scene,” the update says.
The suspect drove up an embankment and through an adjacent property. Officers chased the vehicle but were unable to safely keep up. The Range Rover was located minutes later, abandoned near East Fifth Street and South Blandford Drive, deputies said. A police canine was unable to locate the driver.
Deputies say it does not appear the suspect was shot during the incident.
Since then, detectives have used evidence collected at the scene to create 3-D animations showing the approximate path of the Range Rover.
That evidence also suggested to detectives that the suspect arrived at the property on a stolen bicycle. The sheriff’s office shared pictures of the suspect and a video of him at a nearby store.
Anyone who recognizes the person in the pictures or videos is asked to call call CCSO Major Crimes at 564-397-2120 or 1-877-CRIME11. Tipsters can be anonymous.
