Last night's quiet was shattered in Vancouver when police were summoned to the Woodspring Suites at approximately 11:45 p.m. following reports of a drive-by shooting incident. According to the City of Vancouver, Washington, a suspect discharged a firearm into the building, striking the exterior glass door, before fleeing the scene in a silver SUV. The bullet was found lodged inside the hallway, though fortunately, there were no injuries reported stemming from the event.
The investigation quickly escalated when the Offramp Bar and Grill reported an individual creating a disturbance, closely matching the shooter's description and similarly associated with a silver SUV. Police were mobilized to the area, and upon spotting the vehicle headed northbound on NE 112th Avenue, attempted to make a stop, as detailed by the City of Vancouver, Washington. The suspect driver endeavored to elude the authorities, leading to a chase concluded by a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver to bring the vehicle to a halt. Inside the SUV, officers discovered a firearm along with both spent casings and unspent rounds.
The individual, identified as 21-year-old Gavin E. Woods Leonard, was arrested on multiple charges, including drive-by shooting, attempt to elude, third-degree assault, and driving under the influence (DUI). Vancouver Police have confirmed Leonard as the shooter and have since taken custody of the vehicle, pending a formal search warrant.
