SGT. Jeremy Brown

Officer: Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Jeremy Brown

Date: 7/23/2021                      Location: Vancouver, WA     FACTORS (1,2,7,8,9,15)

Perpetrator(s) Involved: Guillermo O. Raya

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Raya was involved in a string of burglaries./Yes, Raya was illegally in possession of a stolen firearm.

Mental Illness: None stated.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Latino/26/Male

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? On July 23, 2021, Detective Jeremy Brown was conducting surveillance on a group of subjects believed to be involved in a recent burglary of a storage unit where numerous weapons were stolen.

Actions taken by subject toward police: Concerned a vehicle he noticed as they drove back to their apartment complex was law enforcement, Guillermo Raya went back out to the street and confronted the undercover officer, Det. Brown at the driver’s side window of his Jeep SUV. After exchanging some words with Det. Brown, Raya fatally shot him in the chest with a revolver that was taken from the storage unit burglary. Raya then went back to the apartment, told his accomplices Abran Raya Leon and Misty May Raya what happened, and they went back outside and drove away in their vehicle.

Reactions by the police: Officers chased a vehicle fleeing from the scene of the shooting and captured two of Raya’s accomplices soon after their vehicle crashed. The US Marshals arrested Raya a couple of days later in Salem, Oregon.

How murdered? Det. Brown was fatally shot by a burglary suspect he was surveilling who took “an indirect route” and snuck up to the detectives vehicle, catching him off guard.    

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? If two officers were conducting surveillance from within the Jeep perhaps one of them could have observed Raya before he reached the vehicle and was able to have the tactical advantage.

Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Det. Brown would have been justified to shoot Raya as soon as he saw Raya possessing a weapon or reaching his hand towards an area where guns are typically concealed.

Outcome for the cop-killer: Raya is facing charges of possession of a stolen firearm and first-degree aggravated murder with a firearm.