HAZEL DELL, Wash. (KOIN) — All Jenoah Donald wanted to do was to work hard, get a job and pay his rent, said his mother Sue Zawacky, who described him as a loving father and son.
Donald, 30, was shot Feb. 4 by a Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputy following a traffic stop near NE 68th Street and NE 2nd Avenue in Hazel Dell. Investigators say she was shot after a “struggle” with deputies while he was pulled over. He died a week later after being taken off life support.
Authorities said the “involved deputies” were placed on critical incident leave per standard protocol. The investigation into the incident is being handled by the Regional Independent Investigation Team.
Donald was the second Black man killed by Clark County deputies in the last few months. In October 2020, deputies shot and killed Kevin Peterson Jr. during an attempted drug sting, less than a mile from where Donald was shot.
His mother said it feels like someone they “trusted did this to the family.” She never imagined she’d have to have this conversation about her son.
On Friday, friends and family gathered for Donald’s funeral. His brother, Josh who asked that his last name not be used said Donald was mechanically inclined, and would often work on bikes and scooters. He would even build some himself.
“My brother was a good kid and I wanted to help him succeed,” he said. “I can’t say enough about how good he is. I would have trusted him with my kids.”
Zawacky said Donald was loved and supported by the community.
“In this neighborhood, in this group, his circle, he was always included in you know, camping trips or dirt bike riding or water skiing or snowboarding,” she said. “He was able, like literally able, to get up on a snowboard and go. Other people took a little bit longer. But, he was just able to get. He could do it. He was amazing, he just was amazing, a fun kid.”