A Vancouver man suspected of robbing two 16-year-olds of a designer belt is also accused of firing shots at a man in a separate incident in Hazel Dell.
Cocaya S. Thomas, 19, appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery and possession of a stolen firearm between the two cases.
Thomas is accused of robbing two 16-year-old boys of a designer belt Aug. 12, and then four days later, firing shots during an altercation with a man in the same area.
A co-defendant in the earlier incident, 17-year-old Raymond E. Mason, appeared last week on suspicion of first-degree robbery.
Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded at about 5:15 p.m. Aug. 12 to a reported robbery involving multiple firearms at a residence in the 6300 block of Northeast Hazel Dell Avenue, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.
A witness at the home said two people he knows came over to buy a designer belt from two 16-year-old boys. He said Thomas pulled out what appeared to be a black revolver and pointed it at one of the teens’ chests, according to court records. Mason reportedly told the teens to strip down and give them the belt and a cellphone, the affidavit said.
Thomas and Mason then ran east on Northeast 63rd Street, court records said.
One of the 16-year-olds said Thomas pointed a gun at them, and they were ordered to turn around and put their hands on the wall, according to court documents.
Deputies contacted Mason at his home Wednesday and served a search warrant on his residence. They found the stolen belt in his room, and Mason admitted to participating in the robbery because he needed money, the affidavit said.
Officers contacted Thomas at his home Friday, but he fled on foot. He was apprehended minutes later with the assistance of a police canine, according to a court records.
Investigators also connected Thomas to a reported shooting Aug. 16 in the 5900 block of Hazel Dell Avenue, court records show.
Deputies responded to the area and were told by several witnesses that they heard multiple gunshots and saw someone picking up shell casings from the road, the affidavit said.
A 45-year-old man said he had asked a motorist who was driving recklessly in the neighborhood to quit. A man associated with the vehicle punched him in the head, knocking him to the ground, grabbed the man’s cellphone and flung it into the road, according to court records.
The man sustained cuts to his hand and elbow. As he walked to his home, he said, he heard two gunshots, dove into the bushes and heard the vehicle drive off, according to court records.
A neighbor said she saw a man, later identified as Thomas, get out of the car, take out a revolver and point it at her neighbor, saying, “Get the (expletive) back in your house,” court records said. She said the suspect fired one shot into the air and five to six shots at her neighbor before running away, court documents state. She said another male picked up the shell casings.
Investigators later found a video posted Aug. 24 on Facebook of Thomas handling the revolver and unspent rounds, the affidavit said.
During a search of Thomas’ home, officers found the revolver, which had been reported stolen, under Thomas’ bed, according to court records. Thomas denied having any knowledge of the robbery, shooting or firearm. He later admitted to having a gun during the robbery but denied pointing it at anyone and admitted to firing a round in the air, which he said, was to prevent the men from fighting, court documents said.
On Monday, Judge Daniel Stahnke appointed Thomas an attorney and set his bail at a total of $300,000.
Thomas will be arraigned in the attempted murder case Sept. 7 and in the robbery case Sept. 8.
