Officials identify man killed by SWAT member in Vancouver standoff last month

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — The man who was killed by a SWAT team member in a standoff in Vancouver last month has been identified by authorities.

The person killed was identified as 56-year-old Michael D. Williams, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said.

Late last month, Williams was killed by a Vancouver police officer who was a member of the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team after Williams allegedly fired multiple shots toward officers. In one case, Williams allegedly shot a high-caliber rifle round at an armored vehicle, “severely compromising” its ballistic-rated windshield and “endangering the six law enforcement officers inside.”

The shooting happened in the early hours of Sept. 27 in the 5400 block of Northeast 71st Street in Vancouver, officials said.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office had responded to reports of a “dispute involving an armed subject.” According to a Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team investigation, who responded at the request of the sheriff’s office, deputies were on the scene when the person allegedly fired “multiple shots” at the armored vehicle.

“At about 0236 hours, the subject was reportedly observed near the rear door of his residence with a rifle in hand and appeared to be targeting officers on scene,” the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said in a release. “A Vancouver police officer assigned to the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team fired one round at this time, striking the subject.”

Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy.

The involved Vancouver Police Department officer who shot and killed Willaims has been placed on critical incident leave, per standard protocol. His name has yet to be publicly released.

Officials said the LCMCT investigators reviewed body-cam footage, drone footage, dash-cam video, video from neighboring residences and interviewed numerous witnesses.

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