The 21-year-old Camas man fatally shot by police in Hazel Dell yesterday was reportedly armed and had fired at Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies first, Sheriff Chuck Atkins said this afternoon.
On Thursday, Oct. 30, Atkins gave a brief statement to the media about the shooting, in which Kevin Peterson, a Black man, died. He said that as he was not involved with the investigation, his own knowledge of the situation was limited, and he did not take questions about the shooting at that time.
Atkins said that shortly before 6 p.m. Clark/Vancouver Drug Task Force detectives were conducting a narcotics investigation in the 6800 block of Northeast Highway 99. Following a foot pursuit, the subject reportedly fired his weapon at pursuing sheriff’s deputies, with deputies returning fire and killing the subject.
Atkins said to his knowledge the subject’s weapon was observed at the scene.
The sheriff pointed to media reports of Peterson’s identity rather than an official ID from his office, adding that “(i)t is right and correct that the community would grieve along with (Peterson’s) family.”
Though not directly involved with the investigation, Atkins said it was his “commitment to participate as much as I can in ensuring that there is a complete, thorough independent determination of what happened.”
Atkins called for a “respectful and dignified observance of the loss of life in this matter,” warning against potential misinformation spreading while the investigation was ongoing.
Atkins said that further updates on the investigation, undertaken by the Southwest Washington Independent Investigation Team, would be provided by Battle Ground Police Chief Mike Fort.
