Details released in fatal shooting of Jenoah Donald by Clark County deputy

Jessica Prokop, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.
·3 min read

Apr. 7—The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney's Office on Wednesday released all investigative materials received for the fatal Feb. 4 police shooting of Jenoah Donald in Hazel Dell.

Prosecutors received the investigation Monday from the Southwest Washington Independent Investigative Response Team, led by the Vancouver Police Department. Office staff spent much of Wednesday looking through the materials and redacting information that is not subject to public disclosure.

Among the materials is a 1,379-page PDF with investigators' reports and the involved officers' interviews, as well as photos of the scene and evidence, video and audio.

The investigation will be sent to an outside state prosecutor's office who will determine whether Clark County sheriff's Deputy Sean Boyle was legally justified in using deadly force against Donald, a 30-year-old Black man. Prosecutor Tony Golik said Wednesday he's working with the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys to determine which office will carry out the review. He did not yet have a time line for that decision.

In a news release Wednesday, Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins said he attended a briefing on the investigation this week, and he again shared his condolences with Donald's loved ones.

"I recognize that there are additional levels of review to now take place, which will take some time, perhaps many months," he said. "I appreciate the hard work of the SWIIR, and especially the citizen volunteers who play an important role in that process. I will now await the outcome of the next level review."

In the meantime, Boyle will return to duty next week, Atkins said.

Although the investigation has been completed, lab results tied to the case are still pending, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Investigators said last week they are awaiting information from the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab about items submitted for processing, including the protective vest worn by Boyle at the time of the shooting.

Boyle fired twice at Donald, of Battle Ground, during a traffic stop over a bad taillight. Investigators said Donald, Boyle and another deputy struggled inside Donald's Mercedes sedan; Boyle fired when Donald ignored commands to let him go, and the car began rolling forward with Boyle partially inside.

Donald was struck once in the head and died at a hospital Feb. 12 after being removed from life support, according to his family's attorney.

Preliminary reports did not indicate that Donald possessed a firearm. A sharp object described by one of the involved deputies, which apparently prompted the escalation, was a screwdriver; Donald had a number of miscellaneous tools in his vehicle, including pliers, wire cutters, a spring-assisted knife and a Kobalt drill, according to investigators.

Those same preliminary reports and court records did not say that Donald reached for the items at any time during the traffic stop.

Investigators have said deputies responded to the area of Northwest Jordan Way because a neighbor called to complain about a "drug house" and reported two suspicious vehicles circling the area.

Donald was shot less than a mile away from the site of the Oct. 29 shooting of Kevin Peterson Jr., a 21-year-old Black man from Camas. Clark County deputies fatally shot Peterson as he ran from an undercover Xanax pill sting.

This story will be updated.

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