1 dead after officer involved shooting at Cain Lake

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. — A pursuit of a stolen motorcycle ended with the driver attempting to flee on a small boat on Cain Lake in Sedro-Woolley late yesterday, May 17, 2025. The driver was shot by law enforcement after he began firing from the boat in multiple directions in an area of residential homes.

Approximate location of the shooting

According to a press release issued May 18, 2025, by the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART),

On 5/17/2025 an officer involved shooting occurred at Cain Lake. The incident involved law enforcement officers with the Washington State Patrol, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies within Whatcom and Skagit Counties. The Snohomish County Multi-Agency Response Team is assisting in the investigation. LEMART (Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Response Team) will be the lead agency.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night, the Washington State patrol initiated a traffic stop with a stolen motorcycle and its single-occupant rider near Milepost 224 on Northbound I-5. The motorcycle did not stop, and a pursuit was initiated. The male driver abandoned the motorcycle at Alger Cain Lake Rd and ran to the 3000 block of Camp 2 Road. The male then got in a small boat on Cain Lake, which is a small body of water surrounded by residential homes. The male began firing rounds from a handgun in multiple directions. The male was the only person on the boat.
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The Whatcom County SWAT team responded, and officers shot and struck the male in the boat. Officers were then able to contact the male on the boat, brought him back to land, and provided first aid. The male was loaded into an ambulance for transport but succumbed to injuries.
The male was identified as a 34-year-old man from Cape Horn. The identity of the suspect has not been released at this time. The Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s office will officially determine the cause of death.
Investigators contacted several of the homes that surround Cain Lake, and it appeared no one was injured from gunfire. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, they are encouraged to contact investigators.
– Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART) (May 18, 2025)