PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Vancouver Police Chief James McElvain spoke about Officer Donald Sahota, who died over the weekend, after court documents and law enforcement say a robbery suspect stabbed him at his home and then was shot by a responding Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
During Tuesday’s press conference, McElvain said Sahota’s death will be classified as a line of duty death and noted it’s the only line of duty death in Vancouver’s history.
Chief McElvain was emotional as he read a statement from Sahota’s mother.
“Don was really just a great man, honest, kind, loved to help people. He was a great son, wonderful father, and husband. He loved his job and loved serving his community,” McElvain read.
The Chief called this a devastating blow to Sahota’s family and to the whole community. He also said there’s been an outpouring of support.
“Don has worked with the department for the past eight years, in the past few years he served in our training unit. In the interactions I’ve had with members in that group, I can tell you he made a tremendous impact on all of them. He’ll be sorely missed,” McElvain said.
McElvain was clear that he only blames the robbery suspect in custody for Officer Sahota’s death.
“My heart goes out to the deputy. This is a traumatic incident that in my 36 doing this job, none of us want to end up in such a set of circumstances that you have to use lethal force, and to be faced with such a rapidly unfolding situation that you don’t even know who is who. My heart goes out to him and his family. This is, this should have never occurred. As the family said, this really rests on one person’s shoulders. And that’s the person who is in custody,” McElvain said
The suspect, Julio Segura, faces an attempted first-degree murder charge for stabbing Sahota. However, an autopsy report said Sahota died from gunshot wounds outside of his home after Clark County Deputy Jonathan Feller fired his rifle at the scene as Segura allegedly entered Sahota’s Battle Ground home.
Watch the press conference below.
The memorial for Officer Sahota will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Ilani Casino.