Two men facing assault charges were heavily intoxicated when they fired a gun into the air, at a school and then toward responding police officers, according to court documents filed in the case.
Joseph A. Cunningham, 27, of Boise, Idaho, and Anthony Schierer, 29, appeared in court Friday to face two counts each of second-degree assault. Schierer faces an additional charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Cunningham was in town visiting his cousin, Schierer, who lives at 1715 E. 29th St., and had brought along his Glock 9mm handgun, according to court documents filed in support of the charges.
At about 2:15 a.m. Thursday, a neighbor witnessed the two men in the middle of the street shooting the gun into the air, according to court documents. The witness then watched as the men walked to a park that is part of Washington Elementary School, and saw the men take turns with the gun, pointing it toward the school and firing off rounds, court records state.
Vancouver police officers Katie Endreson and Bennie Taylor responded to the shots fired call and as they exited their patrol vehicle, both reported shots fired in their direction, according to court records.
Endreson reported hearing sounds that indicated the shots had hit a nearby chain-link fence and Taylor reported that he saw the shooter level the gun in the officers’ direction before hearing shots, the affidavit states.
Both men fled the area, but witnesses saw one of the men run to a residence at 1715 E. 29th St., and notified police. The SWAT team responded and surrounded the house, leading to a standoff that lasted two to three hours before the man surrendered without incident, police said.
The other man was arrested outside the home when he approached an officer who had set up the perimeter around the house, Lt. Steve Neal said.
When he was interviewed by police, Cunningham admitted that both he and Schierer had been drinking all day, specifically vodka, and were “shooting the gun for fun,” court documents state.
Cunningham admitted that he and Schierer fired the shots into the air and at a trash can, but denied shooting any rounds in the direction of any person or vehicle, according to court records.
The men allegedly threw the magazine in some grass while the gun was hidden in the gutter of Schierer’s house, according to the document. The gun was located but the magazine was not.
Casings were found in the street and near the playground and bullet holes were found in a street sign, a trash can and a light pole, court documents state. No casings were located along the fence line.
Both men were scheduled to be arraigned on March 17. Cunningham is being held in jail in lieu of a $20,000 bail while Schierer is being held in lieu of a $50,000 bail.
