Bellingham police arrested a man Wednesday morning, after he allegedly wielded a knife and made threats at a Fairhaven business then fled down Harris Avenue near the waterfront.
The initial call came in around 8:30 a.m., and the 30-year-old man was arrested shortly after 11 a.m. on suspicion of felony harassment, burglary and brandishing weapons, Bellingham Police Investigations Lt. Chad Cristelli said. The man is currently being treated in the hospital due to exposure to cold temperatures.
Western Washington University police helped block areas off as Bellingham police and its crisis negotiation team worked to apprehend the man.
A Bellingham Fire Department community paramedic and the Bearcat were also on scene because the man “had a knife and wasn’t dropping it, so we wanted to make sure our folks were safe and he was safe,” Cristelli said.
“A shout out to our CNT (crisis negotiation team) for their efforts,” Cristelli said. “I think they are still cold from standing out there.”
The Coast Guard responded, too, over concerns the man would go in the water, Cristelli said.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated where the man made the threats. The story was updated to reflect this change on Dec. 21, 2022 at 5:07 p.m. The Cascadia Daily News regrets the error.
