Body camera footage of a Dec. 4 confrontation in east Vancouver shows police officers warning a man they’d shoot him if he didn’t let go of a gun. Then, moments later, the video shows an officer fire several times at the man’s head.
Vancouver police released the video summary of the shooting on Friday. It said Officers Kyle Beguelin Flores and Seth Anderson were driving at 10:48 p.m. through the parking lot of the Safeway at 13719 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd. They noticed a truck with no license plates backed into one of the loading bays of the store and a man nearby loading items from a dumpster into the truck’s bed, according to the video.
Officers approached the man, later identified by officials as Adam Grant Gunderson, 45, and asked his name and if the truck was his. Gunderson can be heard on the video asking, “Why does it matter?”
Beguelin Flores had previous contact with Gunderson and knew he had multiple warrants for his arrest, according to the video.
When Anderson walked to the rear of the truck to check for a license plate, Gunderson got inside the pickup, and the officers pulled the door back open.
The officers tried to pull Gunderson from the truck and the men struggled. Beguelin Flores’ body camera was knocked from his chest during the fight.
One officer can be heard warning that Gunderson had a gun. One officer can be heard apparently telling Gunderson, “You’re going to get shot, dude,” and an officer can be seen pressing his gun to Gunderson’s back. Gunderson can be heard groaning and shouting, “I’m bleeding.” The officers are repeatedly heard ordering Gunderson to show his hands and drop his gun.
The footage shows Anderson radioing that Gunderson has a gun in his hand, but they had him pinned on the ground. The officers tell him to give them his hand and again warn him, “You’re getting shot right now if you don’t give me your hand.” Moments later, Beguelin Flores shoots Gunderson multiple times in the head, the video shows.
After the gunfire, the officers can be seen backing up and preparing to provide medical aid as more officers arrive.
The video later identifies a gun, and states it was in close proximity to Gunderson’s hand. When the officers approached to give Gunderson aid, a sergeant stepped on the gun, which the video states was to ensure safety and to keep the gun’s position in the crime scene.
Gunderson was transported to an area hospital, where he later died. Beguelin Flores suffered a broken hand and a bite wound to his hand. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, the video states.
Beguelin Flores and two other officers who witnessed the shooting have been placed on critical incident leave, which is standard protocol.
The Office of Independent Investigations is investigating the shooting.