Clark County deputies shoot carjacker pointing a gun at them - April 13, 2024

Original video:

Hazel Dell, Washington, United States

Graphic video captured by body cameras worn by Clark County sheriff's deputies shows the chaotic moments before they shot and killed an armed carjacking suspect inside the American Legion Hall in Hazel Dell last weekend.

The video shows a packed hall on Saturday morning as deputies moved through the room with a K-9, confronting and shooting the suspect, 41-year-old Benjamin Woods, of Prineville, Oregon. He died at the scene. No one inside the hall was hurt. Neither were the deputies.

Deputies later arrested his alleged accomplice, Lyndsey Jones. She appeared in court Monday on a burglary charge.

Clark County deputies had responded to an armed carjacking at 10:38 a.m. in Hazel Dell. Officials said the victim told deputies that one of the suspects was armed with a handgun.

At around 10:54 a.m., deputies responded to a suspicious circumstance call near the Goodwill in Salmon Creek. Witnesses said a male and female had tried to carjack a vehicle with a person inside. The description of the suspects matched that of the armed suspect from Hazel Dell.

Deputies found the carjacked vehicle behind the American Legion Hall at 14011 N.E. 20th Ave., and while they were discussing what they were going to do next, Woods walked out from behind a shipping container that was in the parking lot.

The video from the deputies' body cameras shows Woods walking toward deputies. Deputies order him to put his hands up. He complies at first and says he doesn't want to get bitten by the police dog under the control of one of the deputies.

But then he begins to back away, reaching toward his pockets. The deputies draw their handguns and stun guns.

The deputies yell at him to stop and to get his hands out of his pockets. They chase him into the crowded hall.

Once inside, Woods disappears around a corner and then goes into the men's bathroom. He stops, however, turns, and points a gun at the deputies, who open fire.

A witness told KATU that 37 people were in the hall when deputies shot the suspect. Many of them hid under tables in fear of what was happening. Deputies cleared them out of the building after the shooting, secured the scene and began first aid on Woods.

Two deputies opened fire. Two others saw what happened. All four were put on leave, which is standard practice in law enforcement shootings.

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