Saturday evening just before 11pm, Ferndale Police responded to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center after staff there reported treating a patient with a gunshot wound reportedly received while at Orca Inn Suites in Ferndale.
According to a statement issued by the Ferndale Police Department,
Ferndale Police responded to the hospital and interviewed the victim. The victim told police that he went to the Orca Inn Suites (5370 Barret Rd), to consume narcotics. He met an unknown person in the parking lot and then went into one of the rooms. While in the room he was shot in the head by an unknown person. The victim left the room and called a family member. The family member responded to the hotel and drove the victim to the hospital.
Police obtained a search warrant for the room at the Orca Inn Suites in which the victim state the shooting took place. Upon searching the room, the officers observed evidence that a shooting had occurred in the room. No persons were located in the room. Evidence of drug activity was also located in the room.
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The victim, identified by Ferndale Police as Dustin Monroe Wilson (aka Cody L. Wilson), age 30, was treated, released and subsequently booked into the Whatcom County Jail for an outstanding felony warrant for escaping community custody.
According to a court record dated February of this year, Wilson has a felony criminal history dating back to 1999 including charges for burglary, assault, eluding and possession of stolen property. He had escaped community custody imposed after being found guilty of the charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (heroin) and criminal impersonation.
Ferndale Police officers and detectives, along with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, processed the scene of the shooting and interviewed hotel staff and potential witnesses.
The Orca Inn Suites opened earlier this year after receiving a temporary two-year conditional use permit. A review to be conducted at the end of the two years is planned to ensure, among other things,
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Click for more informationthe facility operates under the conditions for which it was approved and has been managed in an appropriate way to keep it from becoming a public nuisance. The review will include a review of police records associated with the property. In regard to criminal activity, the Hearing Examiner expects the management and employees to immediately report any suspected criminal activity and to take all reasonable steps to minimize or eliminate criminal activity on the site
Neighbors had voiced their concerns to the Hearing Examiner regarding the proximity of the facility to their homes and illegal activities they associated with extended stay facilities. Testimony from neighbors will also be solicited for the two-year review.
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I’m wondering if last nights helicopter, police, and K-9 units in Birchbay were there for the shooter? Lots of comments on whatcom scanner report, would love to get the story!