The state has finished taking its hard look at a deadly downtown Vancouver shooting involving a Clark County sheriff’s deputy, and the case is now in the hands of local prosecutors.
On Friday, the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) announced it had completed its inquiry into the July 30, 2025, shooting that left 36-year-old Branden Michael Whitcomb dead and focused on the actions of Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Gonzalez. The finished case file will now be reviewed by the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office.
In a press release, the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations said it has posted a redacted Final Case Report titled “OII-2025-0009 Whitcomb Final Case Report – Redacted” and provided copies to Whitcomb’s family, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Gonzalez’s attorney. The full report and investigative file have also been forwarded to the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
What investigators found
Forensic testing described in the OII report and reported by The Columbian says Whitcomb pulled a Springfield Armory 9mm pistol from a bag, and analysts later found his DNA on the gun’s grip and trigger…