Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team - May 30th Officer Involved Shooting Investigation, Vancouver, Washington - Press Release 6 -06/29/23

LOWER COLUMBIA MAJOR CRIMES TEAM
A23-11698
OFFICER INVOLVED USE OF FORCE INVESTIGATION
VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON
PRESS RELEASE 6
JUNE 29, 2023

The Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team (LCMCT) has completed its investigation of the officer
involved shooting, which occurred on May 30, 2023, in the 6700 block of East Mill Plain Blvd in
Vancouver. The Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team and Criminal
Investigation Division assisted in this investigation.

Investigators interviewed numerous witnesses and obtained multiple different sources of video,
including store surveillance and officers’ body worn cameras.

LCMCT investigators have been able to determine the following facts, based on witness
interviews, officer interviews and review of related video:

On May 30, 2023, the Vancouver Police Neighborhood Response Team, assisted by the Clark
County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Detectives Unit, was attempting to take Joshua James Wilson, age
43, of Vancouver into custody, after seeing him enter the Safeway at this location. Wilson was
wanted on active warrants for his arrest. Officer Safety information had previously been shared
with law enforcement agencies in the region, noting that Wilson was armed and had reportedly
made statements that he would shoot police rather than be taken into custody.

Wilson had also been identified as a suspect in three recent incidents:
1. Commercial Burglary, 2400 E. Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver – May 20, 2023
2. Armed Robbery, 6510 E. Mill Plain Blvd, Vancouver – May 21, 2023
3. Armed Robbery, 1901 Kauffman Ave, Vancouver – May 29, 2023

The responding officers had formed an arrest team in the parking lot near Wilson’s vehicle. After
Wilson exited the Safeway, and approached his vehicle, officers identified themselves and
ordered Wilson to stop, but he fled Westbound on foot. Videos show Wilson reaching behind his
back and officers then call out that Wilson had a gun. Wilson is seen on video pointing a pistol
directly at a uniformed police officer and appears to have his index finger in the trigger well of the
pistol.

The involved officers and an involved deputy told investigators they believed Wilson presented an
imminent deadly threat and in response, fired their duty weapons at Wilson, striking him multiple
times. Officers then rendered first aid to Wilson. Wilson was pronounced deceased at the scene
and did have a pistol in his possession.

Subsequent investigation showed that Wilson’s 9mm semiautomatic pistol held five rounds in the
magazine but did not have a round chambered. An ATF trace was conducted on the firearm,
which is registered to another subject from out of state. A handwritten robbery note was found in
Wilson’s personal effects.

LCMCT investigators also obtained a search warrant for the vehicle Wilson had been driving.
Additional evidence related to the incidents referenced above, including a second handwritten
robbery note, a wig matching the description of a wig worn by the suspect, and various other items
identified as burglary tools were found in the vehicle. Investigators also located a pipe bomb
(improvised explosive device) in the vehicle, which required a response from the Portland Metro
Bomb Squad to disable the device.

The Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team investigative report has been submitted to the Clark
County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.

Troy Brightbill
Chief Criminal Deputy / Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office
Commander / Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team