GCSO names deputies, releases video of fatal shooting
Decedent was repeatedly told to surrender his firearm.
EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office has released a body-camera video and named the five deputies at the scene during Monday’s officer-involved fatality shooting near Moses Lake.
Around 6 p.m. on Feb. 16, deputies and Moses Lake police were searching for a male subject, identified as 33-year-old Aaron J. Ammann, on property in the 4800 block of Road L.9-NE, a rural location about three miles northeast of Moses Lake. Ammann, who lived in a trailer there, was being sought in connection with an unspecified open police investigation.
In the darkened scene after sunset, the video — just under 6 minutes in length — shows lights focused on an outbuilding and a large plastic tank. Deputies can be heard talking to Ammann, who is hidden inside the tank and verbally acknowledges he has a firearm.
Deputies repeatedly ask Ammann to put the gun down and come into view with his hands up.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” one deputy tells Ammann, with another deputy relaying Ammann’s response, “He’s saying he doesn’t want us to get hurt, either.”
The exchanges continue, with a deputy telling Ammann, “Aaron, toss the gun.”
Ammann replies, “I’m coming out with it.”
A deputy yells, “Nobody needs to get hurt,” as Ammann emerges from the tank with what appears to be a rifle. Deputies yell, “Drop the gun” and “Put it down.”
Seconds later, deputies fire multiple gunshots. The video concludes with supplemental narrative about a pending investigation and notes that Moses Lake police officers on scene did not fire their weapons.
An autopsy conducted Tuesday confirmed that Ammann died from multiple gunshot wounds. No officers were hurt during the incident.
Neither agency is involved in the independent investigation underway by the Central Basin Investigative Team. As required by state law, the inquiry will be in coordination with the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations and subject to review by the Washington State Auditor’s Office.
The deputies who discharged their weapons were identified as Cpl. Luis Jimenez and deputies Juan Niebla, Gaven Allison, David Borden, and Jordan Crouch. As standard procedure in use-of-deadly-force incidents, all have been placed on paid administrative leave during the initial stages of the investigation. The sheriff’s office itself will likely conduct its own internal investigation.
The CBIT unit includes investigators from the Washington State Patrol; Adams and Kittitas county sheriff’s offices; Ephrata, Ellensburg, and Quincy police departments; and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In a statement Tuesday evening, CBIT information officer Capt. Cameron Clasen of the Ellensburg Police Department said the investigation will include two civilian community members who will be kept apprised of its status. CBIT has also assigned a family liaison to support Ammann’s family and explain the investigation process, said Clasen. Public updates must be issued at least weekly even if there is no new information to share, he said.
Ammann had numerous past criminal cases in Grant, Adams, and Franklin counties. In February 2022, he was sentenced in Grant County Superior Court to 19 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of burglary, theft, and criminal trespass committed in 2021. Prior convictions included drunk driving, possession of methamphetamine, and attempting to elude police. As a convicted felon, Ammann was not supposed to possess firearms.
Along with sharing their names and photos, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office provided background summaries of the five deputies’ experience in law enforcement.
Gaven Allison started with GCSO as a corrections deputy in 2021, then transferred to patrol in 2022. He is a member of the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team, a defensive tactics instructor, and a field training officer.
David Borden began his law enforcement career in 2019 as an Adams County sheriff’s deputy and was hired by GCSO in 2023. He is a sniper for the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team and a field training officer.
Jordan Crouch is a two-year law enforcement officer who began his career with Ferry County in 2024 and was hired at GCSO in June 2025.
Luis Jimenez started as a reserve deputy with the sheriff’s office in 2015, was hired as a deputy with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, then returned to Grant County as a deputy in 2017. He is a field training officer and former K-9 handler.
Juan Niebla was hired by GCSO in 2021 and is a field training officer.
