BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The Bellingham Police Department (BPD) announced late yesterday, Saturday, February 15, 2025, that they had arrested a man suspected of shooting another man in the 3200 block of W Maplewood Avenue on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
BPD Lieutenant Claudia Murphy provided the following details to Whatcom News via email.
On 2-11-25 at approximately 3:03 p.m., BPD officers were dispatched to the 3200 block of W. Maplewood Av. for a shooting which just occurred. Victim 1, a 37-year-old Bellingham resident, was lying on the ground in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to the leg. A WCSO Deputy arrived first and began emergency medical treatment with the assistance of a civilian to stem the bleeding of the wound.
BPD officers arrived, followed shortly by BPD detectives, and through their thorough investigation discovered the following:
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Click for more informationSTOVALL and Victim 1 had disagreement about the payment of gas for a ride which STOVALL provided to Victim 1 on 2-10-25. On 2-11-25, STOVALL found Victim 1 working on a car in the 3200 block of W. Maplewood Av and confronted him. STOVALL tried to take the car from Victim 1 and demanded any cash Victim 1 had on his person. STOVALL then brandished a pistol grip-style shotgun and shot Victim 1 in the leg. STOVALL also threatened “next time I see you I am going to kill you.” Victim 1 had approximately $350.00 on his person, which is now missing.
STOVALL fled the scene prior to law enforcement arriving. By way of interviews, detectives discovered STOVALL tossed the shotgun away along I5. They were able to find the shotgun on 2-12-25 and impounded it as evidence.
Victim 1 sustained a gunshot wound to the left lower thigh/knee area and required emergency medical attention at PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s Emergency Department and subsequently at Harborview Medical Center. Probable cause was established for the following crimes:
- Assault 1st degree – for intentionally shooting Victim 1 in the leg with a shotgun, causing substantial bodily harm.
- Robbery 1st degree – for taking $350.00 from Victim 1 during the assault.
- Harassment, felony – after shooting Victim 1 in the leg, threatening to kill him the next time he sees him. This threat caused Victim 1 to be in reasonable fear for his life and as he had just been shot, felt STOVALL capable of carrying that threat out.
- Unlawful possession of a firearm – for being in possession of a pistol grip-style shotgun as a convicted felon (previously convicted of felony assaults and robbery 2nd degree) and is therefore not permitted to be in possession of a firearm.
Officers contacted STOVALL on 2-15-25 at approximately 5:04 p.m. in the 3200 block of W. Maplewood Av. An officer recognized STOVALL in the area and saw him get on a mini motorcycle and attempt to flee. The officer was able to push STOVALL off the motorcycle, but STOVALL then fled on foot through a large blackberry bramble.
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Click for more informationHe made it back to the motorcycle, got on it and fled NW toward W. Bakerview Rd. He got onto I5 North with officers following him with their emergency lights and sirens on. He refused to stop and continued to flee. STOVALL drove through the freeway median and got onto I5 south, crashing the bike, but getting back on and continuing his flight. He exited at W. Bakerview Rd, headed back down W. Maplewood to McLeod Rd and then to Home Rd.
At some point, he could not get his motorbike any further and fled on foot. Officers caught up to him in the 3600 block of E. Rusley Dr. STOVALL refused to comply with multiple officers’ commands along the way and several attempts at stopping his flight with less lethal tools (Taser and drag stabilized batons) were attempted. None of the officers’ attempted interventions had the desired effect, and STOVALL continued his flight until being caught in the 3600 block of E. Rusley where he was taken into custody without further incident.
Additional probable cause was established for the following crimes:
- Attempting to elude police vehicle – for his willful and wanton disregard of the officers’ attempts to get him to pull over. He refused to immediately bring his motorcycle to a halt and continued to drive recklessly while attempting to elude. The officers were all in fully marked BPD patrol vehicles with their emergency lights and sirens on.
- Resisting arrest – for intentionally preventing the officers’ multiple attempts to lawfully arrest him.
STOVALL also had other outstanding warrants for his arrest from other jurisdictions and after being medically cleared, he was booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
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Click for more information– Bellingham Police Department (February 15, 2025)
As of February 16, 2025, Stovall remained in custody at the jail pending being able to post a yet to be determined bail amount in Whatcom County Superior Court and $1,000 bond in Whatcom County District Court.
Murphy told Whatcom News she was not aware of the victim’s current condition nor if they were still a patient at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
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