VANCOUVER, Wash. — A Vancouver officer shot and killed a man armed with a knife after de-escalating techniques did not resolve a stand-off, according to police.
Just before 12:30 a.m. Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said officers were called out to a home on Northeast 59th Street.
When officers arrived, they learned a man was inside a house armed with knives. There were several other occupants in the home at the time including two children who had locked themselves inside their bedrooms and called 9-1-1, Vancouver police said in a release Sunday morning.
The individuals inside the home escaped safely through their bedroom windows.
Soon after, Vancouver police smelled burning coming from inside the residence. It was believed the suspect had started a fire, police said.
The suspect came outside and confronted officers with a knife, VPD said.
Officers attempted to deescalate the situation using nonlethal means, however, VPD said had to use their firearms to stop the suspect from harming anyone.
Following the shooting, the man was taken to a hospital but later died.
Four Vancouver Police officers were involved, including one officer who deployed the less-lethal device. All four involved officers have been placed on Critical Incident Leave per standard protocol.
The Southwest Washington Independent Investigative Response Team (SWIIR), led by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating this shooting.
All further information related to this incident will be released by SWIIR.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.