The two Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies shot Thursday after responding to a “shots fired” call near Maple Falls suffered shotgun wounds to the head and engaged in an exchange of gunfire with a 60-year-old suspect involved in a neighborhood dispute.
Details about the incident, at 4:17 p.m. in the 3000 block of Green Valley Drive, were explained in a Friday news release from the Bellingham Police Department, which is investigating the shootings:
The suspect, Joel Young of Maple Falls, was upset at his neighbor for burning a pile of trash. Smoke from the fire filled Young’s house and Young yelled at his neighbor to put the fire out.
“Young went back to his house, retrieved a shotgun – loaded with birdshot, and fired a round into the air toward the neighbor,” the press release said.
After he shot his shotgun, he went back into his home to drink a beer.
Young heard someone outside his home yell, “Sheriff.” He went outside his home and saw deputies by the garage crouching down.
The deputies yelled at Young again, “Sheriff’s Office — drop the gun!”
Bullet casings scatter the driveway of the house next to shooting suspect Joel Young’s house. This house harbored the burn pile that sparked confrontation between neighbors. (Victoria Corkum/Cascadia Daily News)
Young yelled at the deputies before firing his gun at them. The first deputy was struck in the head and dropped to the ground. The second deputy stepped forward and returned fire, in an attempt to protect the fallen deputy, the report said.
Young shot again and struck the second deputy. The second deputy retreated to cover.
A civilian stepped in and fired several rounds from a handgun toward Young, to protect the deputies.
Both deputies were pulled into a garage for safety and first aid was rendered while they awaited help.
More responders, including members of SWAT, arrived on the scene. Young surrendered at 6:06 p.m. without incident. Bellingham Police Department and SWAT took over the scene. The Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Response Team (LEMART), commonly summoned to take over cases involving police gunfire, will handle the investigation.
“The WCSO deputies were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center for their injuries,” the press release states. “They both remain hospitalized, in stable condition, with injuries from gunshot wounds to their heads.”
One deputy is still under observation at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, and he is alert and stable. The second deputy was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle to receive care from a specialist. He is also considered “stable.”
Young was arrested for two counts of attempted murder in the first degree and booked into the Skagit County Jail.
“We are ever so grateful the WCSO deputies are in stable condition and that no residents were injured,” said Bellingham Police Chief Flo Simon. “The members of the LEMART team are working tirelessly to ensure there is a thorough and complete investigation delivered to the prosecutor’s office. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the WCSO deputies, their families, and the entire Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. We wish them a speedy recovery.”
