The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a police pursuit during which a Lummi Nation police officer fired his weapon at a domestic-violence suspect on Tuesday night, Oct. 29.
The 30-year-old suspect was identified as a person of interest in connection to a report of malicious mischief and domestic violence incident in the 2900 block of Cagey Road on Tuesday, said Deb Slater, the public information officer at WCSO. Lummi Law & Order responded to the report around 8:15 p.m.
The suspect left the scene before officers arrived but was later located in a vehicle, prompting a police pursuit, Slater said. The suspect allegedly rammed an occupied patrol car around 8:30 p.m. in the 3200 block of North Red River Road. A Lummi officer fired his weapon and the suspect fled.
The officer in the rammed vehicle had minor injuries and was medically cleared, Slater said.
The suspect was treated at the scene and transported to the hospital for treatment, Slater said. Once he was treated and released from the hospital, the suspect was booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
Multiple agencies, including the Bellingham Police Department, the Washington State Patrol and the Ferndale Police Department, responded and set up a perimeter in the area where the suspect was seen, Slater said. The suspect was found a short distance away after a search by a K-9 team and was taken into custody.
Other agencies that assisted included the FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, the King County Guardian 1 helicopter and the Bellingham Fire Department.
The suspect was booked into the jail around 3 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, according to the online jail log. He was arrested on probable cause of eluding, attempted vehicular assault and first-degree malicious mischief.
Because the case has been classified as an officer-involved shooting, WSCO is actively investigating what happened, Slater said.
The suspect had a court appearance Wednesday afternoon.
This is the first time in the past two years, WSCO has investigated an incidence of an officer firing shots, Slater said.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.