2nd suspect in downtown Bellingham shooting arrested, more details released

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Police say the second suspect in Sunday morning’s shooting in downtown Bellingham alley was arrested without incident at the Bellingham Police Department today, Monday, July 18th. With this announcement, additional details were released.

According to the Bellingham Police Department (BPD) Spokesperson Claudia Murphy, about 12:31am on Sunday, July 17th, officers responded to a report of a shooting in an alley parking lot behind a nightclub in the 200 block of E Chestnut Street. 

Upon arriving, officers found two persons with gunshot wounds, 1 to their foot and the other to their lower leg. Both were transported by ambulance to PeaceHealth St Joseph Medical Center for treatment. 

Murphy said a video recording of the area showed Gawain Allen Orcutt, age 23, from Mount Vernon, was involved in a fight and knocked to the ground. “He retreated to his car and retrieved a handgun. He fires multiple rounds, indiscriminately, in the direction of the crowd with whom he had been in an altercation.” The video showed Orcutt finding 1 victim hiding near a dumpster and shooting him in the foot at close range. He then fired more times toward an occupied car, which, according to Murphy, “had nothing to do with the fight at all.”

After Orcutt is done shooting, he “sees a car driving through the alley, points his firearm at the car, runs after it and punches it.” The car leaves and Orcutt and the second victim, apparently unharmed, are standing nearby.

At the same time, the second suspect, identified as Brian Lucas Kilete, age 27, of Blaine, is seen coming into the area from the east side of the parking lot, with a handgun in his left hand. 

Kilete is seen raising the handgun and firing multiple rounds toward Orcutt, the second victim and a passing red car. Orcutt and the second victim take cover between nearby cars, and it appears the second victim has been shot.

BPD officers found 4 cars had been struck by gunfire, 2 of which were across the parking lot, as sidewalk and in parking stalls across a lane of travel on Railroad Ave. The combined estimated damage to the four cars is over $3,500.

The first officers to arrive contacted Kilete and asked if he saw anything. He told them “No, I didn’t see sh*t! I just heard gunshots,” according to Murphy. He was also asked if he saw who was exchanging gunfire and he said, “I don’t know, we were in the car.” He was allowed to leave at the time while officers worked to control the incident scene with 2 gunshot victims and large crowd.

Detectives reviewing the video recording discovered Kilete was actually responsible for much of the shooting. He was identified as a regular nightclub patron and detectives were able to confirm his identity via a Department of Licensing photo.

Kilete was contacted by detectives today at the Bellingham Police Department, arrested without incident and booked into the Whatcom County Jail.

A handgun remains outstanding while the other was recovered the day of the incident.

Kilete was booked into the jail and charged with 1st degree assault with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment, drive-by shooting (for retrieving his weapon from a car he was in) 3rd degree malicious mischief and 2nd degree malicious mischief.

Drive-by shooting was also added to Orcutt’s charges.

As of 5pm, Orcutt remained in custody pending being able to post a $250,000 bond. Kilete remained in custody without an option for bail while awaiting a preliminary court appearance in Whatcom County Superior Court.