Updated February 8, 2022 at 9:50pm
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Police responded to a report of shots fired near S State Street and South Bay Trail about 4:05pm today, February 8th. No injuries have been reported.
According to BPD Lieutenant Claudia Murphy, the suspect was a white male wearing a black coat and black hat with a rifle on a sling. Murphy said the suspect fired 8 shots over the water and then left south on South Bay Trail.
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Click for more informationThere was a large police presence, and the public was advised to avoid the area.
According to emergency radio transmissions, a suspect had been detained at about 4:40pm.
Murphy told Whatcom News in an email, “A witness called 9-1-1 to report the shots and the danger to the public being caused by the shooter. Officers responded to the area, bringing with them the BPD rescue vehicle as a safety precaution and to have the ability to quickly and safely rescue anyone if they were injured. It also provides a safety platform from which to engage the suspect.”
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Click for more informationWhen officers arrived in the area they contacted the suspect, who refused to obey commands and drop the rifle. Instead, Murphy said, he fled on foot with the rifle still in his possession.
This prompted the need for further officers, the rescue vehicle, and a perimeter be set in order to apprehend the suspect and stop him from firing his rifle again according to Murphy. The suspect dropped a backpack as he fled officers and was contacted again, but still was not cooperative with the officers’ commands. The deployment of a drag stabilized baton, more commonly referred to as a bean bag shot, near the suspect as a means of de-escalating his behavior, had the desired effect and he was taken into custody. The .22 caliber rifle was located along with 117 rounds of ammunition, and impounded as evidence.
About 5:10pm, Ryan N Marita-Davis, age 25, was booked into the Whatcom County Jail charged with suspicion of discharging a weapon in the city, a misdemeanor, and obstructing a police officer. He is scheduled to appear in Bellingham Municipal Court on those charges. Bail has been set at $1,500 according to jail records.