PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The 29-year-old man shot and killed by Vancouver police on a street corner was brandishing 2 replica guns at the time of the shooting, authorities said Friday.
On February 28, Michael Pierce was waving guns and pointing them at passing cars while standing in the area of West 12th and Jefferson. Police arrived and, officials said, Pierce refused commands “and pointed a pistol at officers multiple times.”
Two officers fired. Pierce died at the scene.
Investigators said the guns Pierce had were “black and chrome replica pistols.”
The investigation into the Pierce shooting continues.
This was the second of 3 recent fatal police shootings in Vancouver.
On February 19, Clayton Joseph was shot to death in the parking lot of an apartment complex on SE Ellsworth Road. Joseph, 16, waved a knife at police and was shot when he refused police commands.
On Thursday afternoon, Carlos Hunter was shot to death during a traffic stop around 1:30 p.m. near Northeast 78th Street and Northeast 25th Avenue as part of a drug trafficking investigation. According to police, Hunter, described as a gang member, was inside the car when the traffic stop began and he was “uncooperative and armed with a handgun.”