A 30-year-old Black Vancouver man has died after a week in the hospital following a police shooting earlier this month.
On Feb. 12, investigators received word from the Clark County medical examiner that Jenoah Donald had died. Donald was shot by a Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputy, later identified as 21-year sheriff’s office veteran Sean Boyle, during a traffic stop Feb. 4 in the area of Northeast 68th Street and Northeast Second Avenue.
According to a report from the investigation, Boyle, along with two other sheriff’s deputies, identified as six-year sheriff’s deputy Greg Agar and one-year deputy Holly Troupe, responded to the area at roughly 7:40 p.m. Feb. 4 for a report of suspicious activity involving two vehicles circling the area. The caller reporting the activity expressed frustration over a “drug house” in the area. The investigation report noted there had been more than 40 calls for service or responses to the area since June 2020.
Upon arrival at the location, Boyle noticed a vehicle, a Mercedes Benz with Oregon plates, was leaving the area, the report stated, and the vehicle had a defective rear light. Boyle conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Donald.
While Boyle identified the driver, deputy Troupe arrived at the scene and walked up to the passenger side to provide cover as Boyle returned to his vehicle, the report stated. Troupe noticed several items in the vehicle that caused concern, including a “ball-handled” object with a three to four-inch sharpened “stake” near the center console.
Donald did not comply with instructions from Troupe to keep his hands visible, instead producing a cellphone and a pair of pliers, the report stated. Noticing the escalation, Boyle returned to Donald’s vehicle, instructing Donald to exit his vehicle, though he did not comply.
By this time, Agar had arrived at the scene, the report stated. Boyle and Troupe attempted to get Donald out of the vehicle, but he resisted and a struggle ensued.
Troupe made an attempt to gain “pain compliance” from Donald, and Boyle hit Donald with a closed fist to Donald’s nose, but neither tactic was effective, the report stated. Boyle felt Donald pull on his ballistic vest to pull him inside the vehicle, and Troupe noticed Donald’s right arm was free, potentially able to use the ball-handled object to assault Boyle.
Though it was turned off during the initial stop, Donald’s vehicle was restarted, the report stated, with deputies noticing the engine revving and the vehicle’s "wheels spinning." Boyle, who was still in Donald’s grip, felt the vehicle moving forward, and “fearing he was going to be killed, he drew his firearm ... and gave Mr. Donald a verbal warning to stop or he would be shot.”
Both Agar and Troupe, who was actively struggling with Donald, also feared that Boyle could be seriously injured or killed, the report stated. Donald did not let go of Boyle, at which time the deputy fired two shots, one striking Donald.
Following the shots, Boyle was able to push away from Donald and the vehicle, which traveled northwest until it hit a fence in a neighboring yard, the report stated. All three deputies approached the vehicle, removed Donald and began rendering aid before he was transported to a hospital. Donald would die several days later.
The investigation report stated that a search warrant would be served on the vehicle. All three deputies were placed on critical incident leave, according to the investigation report.
