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Vancouver boy, 15, pleads guilty in house party shooting

By Laura McVicker
Published: June 29, 2011, 12:00am

A 15-year-old Vancouver boy pleaded guilty today to shooting two people during a robbery attempt at a house party.

Samuel H. Dunn admitted in Clark County Juvenile Court to first-degree burglary, first-degree attempted robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of residential burglary relating to two unrelated thefts that occurred in January.

Dunn will be sentenced July 14.

He faces between four years, nine months and six years, eight months at a juvenile institution.

Deputy Prosecutor Jessica Smith said that a probation officer will prepare a report on Dunn’s background and likelihood of reoffending to be considered for sentencing.

There’s a chance, she said, that the judge could punish Dunn above the sentencing range if aggravating factors are found.

Dunn, represented by court-appointed defense attorney Michael Borge, has no criminal history.

The charges concern a Feb. 19 shooting at a home at 4213 N.E. 38th St. in the Truman neighborhood.

Dunn had been living in a nearby home, according to court documents.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Detective Rick Buckner of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Dunn was identified by “several sources” after the department put out a $1,000 award for information.

Buckner said Dunn told detectives he’d been walking by the house, saw that a party was going on, donned a mask and entered with a gun and a bag, according to Buckner.

“Dunn said that he threw the bag on the kitchen floor and told the people to put their wallets in the bag,” Buckner wrote. “Dunn said that he didn’t think anyone heard him and he fired one shot in the wall toward the ceiling.”

Two people chased him out of the house.

Dunn said shot multiple times at the male and female while he was in the driveway.

Sarah Godfrey and Cory “Scott” Bloom, both 22, were hit. Godfrey “suffered a grazing wound to her leg” and Bloom “was shot through his left leg and right hip,” Buckner wrote.

The victims were treated at a local hospital.

Prosecutors had considered trying Dunn as an adult. Had he been prosecuted and convicted in adult court, Dunn would have faced between 15 and 20 years in prison.

But Clark County Superior Court Judge Edwin Poyfair decided in April that Dunn should be prosecuted as a juvenile. In explaining his decision, the judge said he gave a lot of weight to the fact that two clinical psychologists and a probation counselor all recommended that Dunn be tried as a juvenile.

Laura McVicker: 360-735-4516; Twitter: Col_Courts; laura.mcvicker@columbian.com.

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