A 34-year-old man from Cape Horn, Washington, was fatally shot by law enforcement following a high-speed pursuit and armed standoff on Cain Lake in Whatcom County. The incident began around 7:30 p.m. when Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers attempted to stop a stolen motorcycle on northbound Interstate 5 near milepost 224 in Skagit County. The suspect failed to comply, leading officers on a chase before abandoning the motorcycle at Alger Cain Lake Road. He then fled on foot to Camp 2 Road and subsequently commandeered a small boat on Cain Lake, a 72-acre lake surrounded by residential homes approximately nine miles southeast of Bellingham.
While on the lake, the man began firing a handgun in multiple directions, prompting a response from the Whatcom County SWAT team. Officers engaged the suspect, shooting and striking him while he was in the boat. They then brought him back to shore and administered first aid. Despite their efforts, the man succumbed to his injuries after being transported by ambulance.
The suspect’s identity has not been released pending official determination of the cause of death by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office. Investigators have contacted several homes surrounding Cain Lake and reported no injuries from the gunfire. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the incident to contact investigators.
The incident involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Washington State Patrol, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies within Whatcom and Skagit counties. The Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART) will conduct the investigation into the shooting and the man’s death. SMART is a panel of investigators comprised of evidence technicians, records specialists, and public information officers from various Snohomish County law enforcement agencies and the Washington State Patrol. Civilian community members also serve on the SMART team, as outlined in the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act (LETSCA).
