A Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputy was injured Tuesday, Feb. 11 after a firearm recovered after an arrest was discharged accidentally.
WCSO had been assisting the Lynden Police Department around 1 p.m. after a suspect brandished a firearm in the 8000 block of Guide Meridian and fled the scene, Deb Slater, the public information officer for WCSO, said in a news release
The suspect was found and pulled over by deputies near the intersection of Guide Meridian and Axton Road, Slater said. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
It was after the arrest that the firearm recovered from the suspect went off, Slater said. The deputy sustained a non-life-threatening injury from the discharge. The deputy remained conscious and was transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center for treatment. They have been treated and released.
“Every day our deputies stand between harm and the community we are sworn to serve,” Sheriff Donnell Tanksley said. “While there is always a risk to deputies, events like today’s are unfortunate. We are grateful the deputy’s injuries are not worse and wish them a full and swift recovery.”
WCSO has requested the Bellingham Police Department investigate the accidental discharge, Slater said.
Following the incident, Guide Meridian was temporarily closed between Axton Road and Smith Road, but the road was reopened a few hours later, according to the Department of Transportation.
The suspect, a 52-year-old Blaine man, was taken into custody and will be booked into the Whatcom County Jail in the following hours on probable cause for second-degree assault, third-degree malicious mischief and third-degree theft, Slater said.
The investigation remains active.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
