The Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team is working to complete the investigative case file

The Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team has compiled a video summary containing investigative findings of the May 30 (2023) officer-involved shooting which occurred in the parking lot of the Safeway store located in the 6700 block of East Mill Plain Blvd in Vancouver.

The video summary can be viewed on YouTube at the following link:
https://youtu.be/SFMY4b88K6E

The Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team is working to complete the investigative case file, which will be presented to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review upon completion.

The three Vancouver Police Department (VPD) officers involved in the shooting were wearing body-worn cameras (BWC) at the time of the shooting. This is the first officer-involved shooting since the VPD camera program was implemented.

The Vancouver Police Department implemented BWC’s in March 2023 to increase transparency, trust, and accountability. 

Following an officer-involved shooting involving the Vancouver Police Department, the department will release a Critical Incident Video, which includes video captured from department body worn cameras (BWC). The release of these videos is at the discretion of the Chief of Police and is separate from any video that may be released by the Independent Investigation Team. 

The Critical Incident Video from the May 30, 2023, officer involved shooting can be viewed on the Vancouver Police Department Critical Incident Videos page. 

The involved officers have been identified as:

1. Detective Colton Price of the Vancouver Police Department. Detective Price serves on the Safe Streets Task Force and is currently assigned as a detective on the Neighborhood Response Team. Detective Price has served with the Vancouver Police Department since 2012.
2. Officer Brandon Riedel of the Vancouver Police Department. Officer Riedel is currently assigned to the East Precinct Patrol and has served with the Vancouver Police Department since 2018.
3. Detective Aaron Yoder of the Vancouver Police Department. Detective Yoder is currently assigned to the Neighborhood Response Team and is also a SWAT team member. Detective Yoder has served with the Vancouver Police Department since 2015.
4. Detective Zach Nielsen of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Nielsen is currently assigned to the Sheriff’s Office Tactical Detectives Unit. Detective Nielsen has served with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office since 2016.

On June 2 the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on the decedent, who has been identified as Joshua James Wilson, age 43, of Vancouver.  The autopsy report notes the manner of death as being homicide, with the immediate cause of death being multiple gunshot wounds.  The manner of death listed in the autopsy report is a medical finding and does not in any way establish criminal intent.