Shooting victim arrested on suspicion of having stolen property

The shooting victim of Douglas Combs – the 16-year-old later shot to death by police in January in uptown Vancouver- faces several charges related stolen items, which allegedly prompted a dispute between Combs and the victim.

William J. Toohey, 48, of Vancouver faces charges of two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of a stolen firearm and second-degree possession of stolen property, at his Friday arraignment.

His live-in girlfriend, Cora F. Whitebird, 51, faces charges of possession with intent to deliver marijuana and second-degree possession of stolen property.

The couple’s neighbor, Combs, shot Toohey Jan. 25 at Toohey’s residence in Hazel Dell, and detectives now believe the shooting may have been related to the stolen items, according to Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Allais.

Clark County sheriff’s detectives on Jan. 25-26 searched the couple’s residence and recovered a stolen camera, rifle and laptop computer, Allais said. All of the items had been stolen from separate local residential burglaries, Allais said. Detectives also seized marijuana, a digital scale and packaging material, Allais said.

Detectives learned that before Toohey was shot, he had accidentally discharged a firearm, propelling the round through the couple’s home and entering a neighbor’s resident.

“Detectives surmise that the shooting of Toohey by Douglas Combs on the evening of January 25th was not a random act of violence,” Allais said. He said the stolen goods may have sparked a dispute between Combs and Toohey during which Combs shot Toohey.

However, Toohey and Whitebird were not arrested until Friday, he said.