Donald Sahota Memorial Set, Vancouver Officer Was Killed At Home

GRESHAM, OR —Former Gresham Police Officer Donald Sahota will be honored with a memorial service on February 8. Sahota was an off-duty Vancouver officer when he was shot and killed defending his home this week.

Police say a man who had robbed a gas station forced his way into Sahota's home, injuring the officer's wife in the process. Sahota grabbed his gun and struggled outside with the man while his wife called 911.

Sahota was stabbed multiple times by the man who knocked his gun away and then rank back inside, according to officials.

As Sahota grabbed his gun and started chasing the man, deputies from the Clark County Sheriff's Office arrived. A deputy seeing a man with a gun running to the home, fired his rifle. It was only later that he realized that he shot the wrong man.

The medical examiner has not yet determined whether Sahota was died from the gunshots or the stab wounds. In the meantime, officials say the man who attacked him is charged with attempted first-degree murder among other crimes.

Sahota's death was the first line of duty death in the Vancouver Police Department since it was started in 1883.

The incident has deeply affected members of the department as well as members of the sheriff's office and the Gresham and Port of Portland police departments where Sahota had worked, according to Vancouver Police Chief James McElvain.

"I can see it within the way our officers are carrying themselves that they are hurting," McElvain said. "Over the past few days, I have been in many conversations with Sheriff (Chuck) Atkins and I know that he and his people are also hurting.

"The circumstances around the death of Officer Sahota have, of course, been extremely painful and emotional for our department, as well as the greater law enforcement community in our area."

McElvain shared a statement from Sahota's wife and two children.

"While police officers are heroes, they are also human," the family said. "We would like everyone to know that we hold no ill feelings toward the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, or the deputy involved in this tragedy, and hope others can show them grace as well.

"The fact remains that one person is ultimately responsible for the death of Officer Donald Sahota — the suspect in custody. If this individual hadn’t made poor decision after poor decision, and ended up inside our home, we wouldn’t be where we are now."

Sahota's mother said that her son "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."

A memorial service will be Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Ilani in Ridgefield.

McElvain said that a bank account has been set up for monetary donations for the Sahota family. Anyone wishing make a donation can visit a Chase bank branch donate to the Officer Sahota Memorial Fund.

The police department also has a memorial truck set up outside headquarters for people who wish to leave notes and flowers.