Suspected carjacker dies at American Legion in Salmon Creek

SALMON CREEK, Wash. (KOIN) — What began as a carjacking ended with a suspect dead inside the American Legion hall in Salmon Creek, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said.

The owner of a van called the sheriff’s office shortly after 10:30 a.m. Saturday and said his van was stolen by a man and a woman around 9200 NE 15th, and that the man had a gun.

“A suspicious circumstance” sent deputies toward the Goodwill in Salmon Creek just before 11 a.m. Witnesses told officials a man and woman tried to carjack a car with someone inside. The descriptions matched the Hazel Dell report, officials said.

The stolen van was spotted behind the American Legion, 14011 NE 20th Avenue and said they spotted the man suspected in the incidents go into the building.

That is where the officer-involved shooting took place. The man died at the scene. No deputies were hurt.

The woman was taken into custody near the scene around 3:20 p.m.

At a press conference around 3:45 p.m. Sgt. Chris Skidmore said the exact details of what happened are still under investigation. Because it was an officer-involved shooting, the Vancouver Police Department, under the auspices of the Southwest Independent Investigative Response Team, will be the lead investigative agency into the shooting.

Four deputies are on administrative leave during the investigation, standard procedure in these situations.

The names of the suspects have not yet been released. The Clark County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death of the man suspected in the carjacking incident.

KOIN 6 News will have more information as it develops.

‘Pointed the gun at me’

Jess Arnett, the man who was the victim of the initial carjacking, told KOIN 6 News the thieves first asked to borrow his car before pointing a gun at him and demanded his keys.

“He pointed it at me and asked me to give him the keys. I started begging them not to take my kids’ motorcycles that were in the back. I just got back from picking them up from the shop,” Arnett said. “He starts backing up and he doesn’t know how to drive my van very well, it took him 4 times backing up and turning around. He picks up his girlfriend. I flung open the back doors and was able to unlatch one of the bikes and yank it out as they were driving away with the doors open.”

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