PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Authorities have released new details on the events that led up to a Columbia County deputy and Oregon state trooper shooting and killing a man Thursday outside of Grumpy’s Towing in Scappoose.
In a press release sent Friday afternoon, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office — which is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting — said the man, 39-year-old Michael Stockton, shot first, and he was wanted on unrelated murder charges in Gresham.
According to WCSO, Stockton fired multiple rounds at police, and then both the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Oregon State Police trooper shot back, hitting and killing him. WCSO said the officers provided first aid, but emergency medical personnel pronounced Stockton dead.
Police said they found two different handguns on Stockton.
Following the shooting, WCSO Detective Shannon Wilde said in a statement to reporters on Thursday that Stockton was wanted for a “violent felony.” That charge was clarified in the release Friday as WCSO said he was wanted in Gresham for a homicide at a storage facility earlier this week.
WCSO said the shooting on Thursday was unrelated to the homicide investigation into Stockton.
The officers involved have remained unnamed and investigators said they will be identified Monday. They have both have been placed on critical incident leave, which is standard for officer-involved shootings.
The state medical examiner will perform an autopsy and officially determine the cause of death.
The investigation is ongoing.