Bellingham police investigating officer-involved shooting in Maple Falls

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — The Bellingham Police Department (BPD) is the primary agency conducting a Law Enforcement Multi Agency Team (LEMART) investigation into an officer-involved shooting in Maple Falls. The shooting occurred on April 26, 2026, in the 7700 block of Kendall Road.

According to a statement released April 27, 2026, by Bellingham Police to Whatcom News, in the early evening, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) Special Response Unit (SRU) responded to the property to apprehend 2 suspects. The SRU consists of the Crisis Negotiations Team and the Special Weapons and Tactics team, which includes members from the Lynden Police Department and Ferndale Police Department.

During the process of taking the suspects into custody, shots were fired. Luis E. Fernandez, 36, died of his injuries at the scene. No law enforcement officers or other individuals were injured. Kayla C. James, 38, was taken into custody and booked into the Whatcom County Jail.

James was booked on several outstanding local warrants and the following Lummi Nation Police Department charges:

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2 counts of attempted homicide
robbery
residential burglary

The apprehension was related to a shooting that occurred at about 4:20am on April 25, 2026, in the 3500 block of N Red River Road. That incident left a 34-year-old male in critical condition. The Lummi Nation Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the N Red River Road shooting.

The WCSO requested that LEMART conduct an independent investigation of the shooting in Maple Falls. BPD crime scene investigators are serving search warrants at the Kendall Road property to identify and catalog evidence. BPD detectives are also working to establish a timeline of events.

Individuals who were in the area of the 7700 block of Kendall Road on the evening of April 26, 2026, are asked to contact the LEMART team at 360-778-8611 or via the electronic tip line at www.cob.org/tips. Information regarding the shooting in the 3500 block of N Red River Road can be directed to the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or tips.fbi.gov.