An 18-year-old man died from a single gunshot wound to the chest early Saturday after deputies were called to a large late-night gathering at Hockinson Meadows Community Park in Brush Prairie, and another 18-year-old is now behind bars on a manslaughter charge. American Medical Response personnel determined the victim was dead at the scene after responders arrived at the park just after 1 a.m.
Clark County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the park, located at 10910 Northeast 172nd Avenue, alongside Vancouver Police Department officers and American Medical Response crews, according to KATU. Investigators say a large group, mostly consisting of people in their late teens, had gathered at the park when the shooting occurred. Several cars were reportedly leaving the park area as deputies arrived on scene, per the Sheriff's Office.
Witnesses Say Handgun Discharged in Suspect's Hands
Witnesses reported that a handgun discharged while it was in the hands of 18-year-old James Gill, according to the Sheriff's Office. Gill, who was described as an acquaintance of the man who died, was booked into the Clark County Jail on a charge of second-degree manslaughter. Deputies recovered a Glock 17 handgun from the scene — a full-size, 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a standard 17-round magazine capacity and a factory “Safe Action” trigger system built around three internal passive safeties, according to the manufacturer.
Second-degree manslaughter under Washington law is defined as causing another person's death through criminal negligence, a Class B felony that carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $20,000. The charge is legally distinct from murder because it does not require proof of premeditation or intent to kill, a distinction that will likely shape how prosecutors ultimately handle the case.
Firearm's Presence in a Locked Park Raises Legal Questions
Washington law also restricts handgun possession for people between 18 and 20 years old, generally limiting it to their own residence, a fixed place of business, property they control, or specific licensed activities like target shooting or hunting. That means a handgun in the hands of an 18-year-old at a public park after dark falls outside the statutory exceptions that would make possession legal. Under Clark County's park rules and county code, most parks — including Hockinson Meadows — are open only from 7 a.m. to dusk, with gates locked overnight and the discharge of firearms strictly prohibited on the grounds.
Hockinson Meadows Community Park itself is a 240-acre regional park in Brush Prairie, a small town roughly 30 minutes by car from Portland, Oregon. About 70 acres of the park were developed between 2008 and 2009 under the Greater Clark Parks District program, adding sports fields, picnic shelters, walking trails and a dog park. In May 2023, the county opened an 18-hole disc golf course there — the county's first and only 18-hole, county-operated course of its kind, according to The Reflector — a draw that has made the park a popular gathering spot for the surrounding community.
Investigation Continues as Victim's Identity Awaits Confirmation
The Sheriff's Office says the case remains an active investigation and has not released additional information beyond what has already been confirmed. The Clark County Medical Examiner's Office, which KATU has contacted, is expected to formally identify the victim and determine the cause and manner of death.
The shooting adds to a string of recent firearm incidents in unincorporated Clark County. Hoodline previously reported on a dirt bike dispute that ended in gunfire earlier this month, and on a separate case involving a Brush Prairie man charged after a bald eagle was found with pellets in its skull. Those incidents follow a countywide public safety trend: Sheriff's Office data has shown a marked increase in firearm involvement in non-domestic violent crimes among youth ages 12 to 24, even as the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs reported in August that Clark County and its municipalities saw an overall decline in serious crime rates in 2025. Statewide, gun homicides in Washington rose 33% from 2015 to 2024, according to EveryStat's analysis of CDC data, with firearms tied to an average of 950 deaths per year across the state.
The area around Hockinson Meadows has been growing quickly; Battle Ground Public Schools proposed acquiring a 40-acre parcel adjacent to the park in December 2024 to build a new primary school addressing overcrowding tied to the region's rapid suburban expansion. It remains unclear how the two 18-year-olds obtained the handgun found at the scene, and whether additional charges could follow as the investigation continues.
