BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Police and Fire Department personnel responded to the Arne Hanna Aquatic Center last night due to a request for medical assistance.
Bellingham Police Lieutenant Claudia Murphy told Whatcom News via email that they were dispatched about 8:41pm on Wednesday, April 5th, due to an automatic external defibrillator (AED) request (all BPD patrol cars are equipped with AEDs). Responders were told a person had been behind a bathroom door for a couple of hours and needed medical attention.
Murphy said officers and medics arrived to find the door to the front public restroom open with an unresponsive male inside. “Medics performed lifesaving measures but were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
“There is no further information available regarding the deceased male at this time,” according to Murphy. “And the manner and cause of death will be determined by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office post autopsy and toxicology results.”
According to the city website, the Arne Hanna Aquatic Center will be closed today, Thursday, April 6th, reopening for regular hours tomorrow.