Vancouver police murdered a guy who was shotWhen cops discovered him stealing stuff from a grocery store dumpster earlier this month, they confronted him and inquired about his plateless truck.
Body camera footage from the Dec. 4 incident, in which Officer Kyle Beguelin Flores shot Adam Grant Gunderson, 45, outside a Vancouver Safeway, provided the additional details. After being transported to a hospital, Gunderson passed away from numerous gunshot wounds to the head.
Beguelin Flores had previously interacted with Gunderson, who had several arrest warrants, according to police captions that were included with the video. A pickup truck without a front license plate was backed into one of the Safeway’s loading bays at 13719 SE Mill Plain Boulevard just before 11 p.m., prompting Beguelin Flores and Officer Seth Anderson to approach Gunderson.
Two other policemen involved in the shooting, including 28-year-old Beguelin Flores, were placed on critical incident leave. The two other cops have not been identified by the authorities, however Anderson and Beguelin Flores were seen together on body camera footage. The video shows that Officer Desmond Haske arrived shortly before the incident occurred.
Beguelin Flores and Anderson are seen approaching in body-camera footage as Gunderson is packing stuff from a dumpster into a blue Chevy pickup.
What’s happening, boss? Gunderson responds, “Not much, just seeing what I can find,” to Beguelin Flores’ question.
The video shows Beguelin Flores asking him if the pickup, which lacks a front plate, is his. After that, he asks for his initial name and confirms if the truck belongs to him.
Gunderson asks why it mattered and why authorities had to identify the truck instead of responding. After switching on his lights, Anderson begins to make his way to the rear of the truck in search of a back plate.
Gunderson quickly opens the driver’s side door and enters the vehicle. “Nope, you’re not going to get in yet,” Beguelin Flores says, grabbing the door.
The altercation that ensues inside the vehicle is not captured on body-cam footage. While Anderson’s video captures officers taking Gunderson by the legs before dragging him out and pinning him to the ground, Beguelin Flores’ camera is knocked to the ground.
One of the officers yells, “Get down, get down, hands out.” You will receive an f-shot.
One of the policemen claims that Gunderson is armed while he is pinned. The officer asks Gunderson to show his hand when he disputes this. Beguelin Flores is seen in the video drawing his revolver and requesting that Gunderson display his hands at least twice more.
As he lies on the ground, Gunderson cries, “Oh my God, oh my God.” I am bleeding.
Whether Gunderson pointed a gun at Anderson or Beguelin Flores is not evident from the video.
The video doesn’t show the next few moments clearly. It’s unclear who of the two officers is speaking when one threatens to shoot Gunderson if he doesn’t reveal his hands, while the other says, “He’s got it out, watch out,” perhaps alluding to a pistol.
Then there are six shots.
One of the two cops informs Haske that Gunderson had a gun aimed directly at them on the body camera clip. After being transported to the hospital, a firearm that was allegedly held by Gunderson is seen on the ground in body-camera footage captured by Andrea Bauman, another responding officer.
Beguelin Flores sustained a bite wound and shattered his hand in the incident, according to the police. In 2021, he joined the Vancouver Police Department.
The shooting is being looked into by the civilian-led Washington State Office of Independent Investigations. In 2021, the office was established by the state legislature in response to the governor’s task force on police use of force.
For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Zaeem Shaikh writes about criminal justice problems and the Portland Police Bureau. You can reach him on X@zaeemshake or at 503-221-4323, [email protected].
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
