Names of deputies, body cam footage released in Salmon Creek shooting

The county released the names of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies, as well as body cam footage from the officer-involved shooting that took place in Salmon Creek, April 13.

The Southwest Washington Independent Investigative Response Team (SWIIRT), led by the Vancouver Police Department, is conducting the independent investigation.

The two deputies involved in the shooting are:

• Deputy Jim Payne, assigned to Central Precinct Patrol. He has been with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office since 2000 and has 23 years of law enforcement experience.

• Deputy Michael Gonzalez is a K-9 handler who has been with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office since 2021 and has seven years of law enforcement experience.

The two witnessing deputies are:

• Sgt. Fred Harrison, who has been with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office since 2006 and has 17 years of law enforcement experience.

• Deputy Enrique Cordero, who has been with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office since 2021 and has two years of law enforcement experience.

All four remain on critical incident leave, a release by SWIIRT stated.

In the body cam footage worn by CCSO deputies, Gonzalez can be heard telling the suspect “Dude you’re gonna get shot.”

According to footage, the suspect, Benjamin Steven Woods, 41, of Prineville, Oregon, came around the corner saying, “You’re gonna get shot,” while pointing a firearm at Gonzalez, which prompted the shooting by deputies.

Once the scene was secure, deputies administered first aid to Woods for several minutes. Deputies applied chest seals, a tourniquet and performed chest compressions until fire department/EMS personnel arrived. Medical personnel pronounced Woods deceased at the scene. No deputies nor bystanders in a nearby American Legion building were physically injured.

CCSO deputies initially responded to a report of a carjacking in Hazel Dell in the 9200 block of Northeast 15th Avenue. The victim reported that two suspects, a male and a female, had stolen his van, a news release by CCSO stated. The witness also stated that the male suspect, Woods, was armed with a handgun. The suspects reportedly left the scene in the stolen van, the release added.

Following the Hazel Dell carjacking, CCSO deputies were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance report near the Salmon Creek Goodwill, 14300 NE 20th Ave. Witnesses stated that a male and female attempted to carjack a vehicle with a person inside.

Descriptions of the suspects near Goodwill matched the descriptions of the armed suspects in the Hazel Dell carjacking, the release stated.

CCSO deputies responded to the scene and set up a containment area to search for the suspects. Deputies located the stolen van from the Hazel Dell carjacking behind the American Legion, 14011 NE 20th Ave., the release stated.

CCSO deputies then observed Woods enter the American Legion, where they contacted him and the shooting took place.

The critical incident body cam footage can be found at clark.wa.gov/sheriff/body-worn-camera-bwc-program.

SWIIRT is continuing the investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to th e Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.