Man who allegedly pulled gun at mall will be arrested, police say

A Vancouver man who allegedly pulled a handgun during an argument outside the Outback Steakhouse at Westfield Vancouver mall — and ended up getting shot in the leg — on Monday afternoon is headed for jail when he’s released from a hospital, police said.

Police plan to arrest Paul J. Hicks, 53, on suspicion of first-degree assault, Officer Jason Beach said Monday night.

Hicks was in satisfactory condition at Southwest Washington Medical Center on Tuesday night with a gunshot wound that’s not believed life-threatening.

It was about 2 p.m. Monday when Hicks argued with Jason L. Berry, 27, of Vancouver about a parking space.

Beach said Hicks pulled out a gun and the two men struggled.

Officers believe Hicks shot himself, but that’s not completely clear, a police sergeant said. “There was a struggle with the gun and it went off,” she said.

Which man’s finger pulled the trigger in the struggle remained unclear.

But it was Hicks who first brandished the gun, so he will be taken to jail for that, Beach said.

Beach said Berry wasn’t believed injured in the struggle, and that Berry was not arrested.

John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton.@columbian.com.