Clark County Sheriff’s deputies Wednesday hunted for a man suspected of shooting another man outside an Orchards-area apartment complex in a possibly gang-related altercation that occurred about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday.
The victim, who was conscious and talking with deputies, was taken to Southwest Washington Medical Center in serious condition after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
Late Wednesday afternoon, sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Schanaker identified the shooting victim as Steven L. McKnight, 29, a homeless man who lives in Clark County.
McKnight was shot with a small-caliber handgun four times, in the left shoulder, upper left arm, left hip and right arm, Schanaker said.
McKnight was listed in satisfactory condition but remained in intensive care at Southwest, a nursing supervisor said Wednesday evening.
A man fired shots and fled the Prairie View Apartments, 12611 N.E. 99th St., in the Sifton area northeast of Orchards. Police said the suspect and victim did not live at the complex. The victim was believed to have been visiting a friend.
Multiple callers reported the shooting, Schanaker said.
The suspect was seen leaving the apartment building on foot. He was believed to be driving a white Toyota Corolla with chipping paint and black bumpers, according to emergency police scanners monitored at The Columbian. Schanaker said he could not confirm the vehicle description.
The suspect was described as white, in his early 20s, 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 145 pounds. He had long curly brown hair and was wearing a red sweatshirt.
“The suspect’s known to the victim,” a dispatcher said.
Detectives with the sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit are investigating the case, including whether the shooting was gang-related or motivated by something personal between McKnight and the suspect, Schanaker said. He said the suspect and victim have loose ties to gangs.
Deputies believe they know who the suspect is, said Schanaker, but they’re not prepared to release his name until their suspicions are confirmed.
The Vancouver Fire Department and an American Medical Response ambulance were dispatched to treat the victim, according to emergency personnel.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 1-877-CRIME11.
