A 15-year-old and several Vancouver police officers wound up in a chaotic parking-lot confrontation that the department is calling a "violent struggle," and now the public can see how it unfolded on video.
Vancouver police on Thursday released in-car and body-worn camera footage from the encounter, which took place in a parking lot and ended with the teen in handcuffs. According to the department, the 15-year-old, described as about 6 feet 2 inches tall and more than 200 pounds, put an officer in a headlock and tried to grab the officer's gun before several officers subdued him.
In a news release from the Vancouver Police Department, the agency said officers were called about 8:30 p.m. on April 4 to the 1400 block of Washington Street after a 911 caller reported someone punching and kicking a car. The department said the video shows an officer using "what appears to be a form of a neck restraint" before the suspect was handcuffed. One officer was evaluated at a hospital and later released, according to the release.
Charges And Investigation
According to KPTV, the 15-year-old was booked into the Robert L. Harris Juvenile Justice Center. He faces charges including second-degree attempted robbery, two counts of third-degree assault of a law-enforcement officer, attempt to disarm an officer, second-degree malicious mischief, obstructing an officer, harassment and resisting arrest.
The Vancouver Police Department said the state Office of Independent Investigations declined to investigate the incident and that the Clark County Sheriff's Office is conducting an independent probe. The officer shown using what appears to be a neck restraint has been placed on critical-incident leave while that review plays out.
What The Law Allows
Washington law permits deadly force only when it is necessary to prevent an immediate threat of serious physical injury or death and requires officers to use de-escalation and the least amount of force possible, according to RCW 10.120.020 from the Washington State Legislature. That statute also directs officers to consider whether a person objectively appears to be a minor when determining appropriate force, a factor investigators are expected to review in this case.
The state Office of Independent Investigations was created to provide civilian oversight for deadly and serious uses of force, but reporting has noted the agency has prioritized fatal cases and moved slowly while building staff and processes. KNKX reported on the office's early staffing and capacity challenges. Because OII declined to take this incident, local authorities will handle the public investigative work for now.
The Vancouver Police Department said the release of the footage is separate from the sheriff's office investigation and that it will not be commenting on that probe while the independent review is ongoing. The Clark County Sheriff's Office will determine whether the force used was within department policy. Once that review concludes, the department says it will complete an internal administrative audit.
