Portland man in court in alleged robbery

A Portland man accused of robbing two people at gunpoint whom he had met up with to buy a jacket was in Clark County Superior Court on Thursday.

Isaiah Malik Harden, 19, who goes by his middle name, appeared on suspicion of first-degree robbery in connection with the Wednesday night incident outside the Vancouver Costco.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Clark County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched shortly after 10:30 p.m. to an armed robbery in the store’s parking lot at 6720 N.E. 84th St. The suspect, later identified as Harden, met with Brendan Algire and Kaley Bernard to purchase a camouflage jacket. They had arranged the meet up online.

Algire said that before Harden paid him, he noticed a pistol grip hanging out of Harden’s jacket. Harden then allegedly pulled out the pistol, which had a laser on it, and pointed the gun at Algire, who jumped back into his vehicle, the affidavit states. Harden fled in his vehicle.

Bernard decided to follow Harden and keep authorities apprised of his location, she said, because she worried he wouldn’t be caught otherwise, according to court documents.

Deputies found Harden’s vehicle still running on Petticoat Lane east of St. Johns Boulevard, and subsequently detained him, court records said.

Harden allegedly told deputies that he only used a laser pointer, the affidavit said.

On Thursday, Judge David Gregerson appointed Harden a defense attorney and set his bail at $30,000. He will be arraigned Feb. 16.