Suspects in fatal shooting of Vancouver teen allegedly tried to rob him of belt

A Vancouver teenager who was fatally shot in Portland’s Holladay Park last week was being robbed at gunpoint for his belt by at least two other teens, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Kole Tabian Jones, 18, of Gresham, Ore., was arraigned Monday in Multnomah County in the alleged robbery and shooting of 17-year-old Shawn Scott Jr. He is charged with murder and first-degree robbery in the April 11 incident near Lloyd Center. A second teen, Malique Kinnerly-Hicks, 17, of North Portland was also arraigned Monday on first-degree robbery.

Both remain in custody, court records show.

According to the affidavit filed in Kinnerly-Hicks’ case, detectives with the Portland Police Bureau watched surveillance video from the day of the shooting taken from a nearby business. The footage shows a group of people, including Kinnerly-Hicks approaching Scott in the park.

One of the people with Kinnerly-Hicks pulled out a gun and pointed it at Scott’s belt, the affidavit said.

“Malique was present and puffed up, trying to intimidate the victim,” the court document states.

Police say Jones fired the weapon and that Scott, who was a junior at Union High School, died of a single gunshot wound.

Kinnerly-Hicks allegedly told detectives he planned to rob Scott of his belt, according to the affidavit.

Portland Police Bureau Sgt. Pete Simpson previously told The Columbian that Scott did not know Jones or Kinnerly-Hicks.

Jones was arrested Thursday after being stopped by Gresham, Ore., police in the area of 165th Avenue and East Burnside Street in Portland. Police said he was driving a stolen car. During their investigation, homicide detectives developed probable cause for Jones’ arrest in the shooting, police said.

Kinnerly-Hicks was arrested Friday afternoon near 164th Avenue and East Burnside Street in Portland. He was booked into the Multnomah County Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Home.

Jones will have a preliminary hearing in Multnomah County Circuit Court on April 25. Kinnerly-Hicks is scheduled to be back in court April 24, court records show.

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