The fatal shooting of a Vancouver man by a Clark County deputy has been confirmed by local authorities. The victim, identified as 36-year-old Branden Michael Whitcomb, was shot last Wednesday evening after deputies responded to a disturbance call, as reported by KATU News. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office detailed that deputies were called to a home near East 27th and H Street where the disturbed caller, later identified as Whitcomb, had forced entry, made threats, and had fled the scene prior to law enforcement's arrival.
Officials disclosed that Deputy Michael Gonzalez engaged with Whitcomb near Main Street and E. 19th Street after a brief pursuit. According to the KPTV report, a deputy confirmed Whitcomb still had a weapon just prior to the shooting, though specifics on the engagement which led to Gonzalez firing his weapon have not been released. The Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled Whitcomb's death as a homicide, with multiple gunshot wounds cited as the cause.
This incident marks the third fatal shooting Deputy Gonzalez has been involved in since joining law enforcement, with the two prior occurrences happening in 2019 and 2021. The Oregonian reports that Gonzalez, who is currently assigned as a patrol K9 handler, previously served with Portland police, where he was involved in a fatal shooting of a stabbing suspect. Later, as a Clark County deputy, he was part of an incident involving a car pursuit that ended with the fatal shooting of a suspect by two other deputies.
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations has taken over the inquiry into the recent shooting. Deputy Gonzalez, meanwhile, has been placed on Critical Incident Leave, a standard procedural action during such investigations.
