WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — A man who was found guilty of the attempted murder of two Whatcom County deputies will be sentenced on Tuesday, over two years after the initial confrontation.
The initial incident took place on Feb. 10, 2022, after Joel Berck Young and his neighbor got into an argument. The neighbor was burning garbage and the smoke was going into Young's house, which "enraged him," according to court documents.
Young and the neighbor argued before Young got a shotgun and fired birdshot into the air, prompting witnesses to call 911.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Ryan Rathbun and Jay Thompson arrived on the scene and told Young to drop the gun.
Deputies said Young, who appeared intoxicated, yelled at them and fired at the deputies. Before opening fire, Young said, "I don't care if you're cops. I'm going to blow your head off," according to court documents.
Both of the deputies were shot in the face. Two neighbors shot back at Young, allowing the deputies to scramble for cover.
It was a long road to recovery for the deputies. Rathbun almost lost his left eye in the shooting, and Thompson had a traumatic brain injury. After extensive treatment and therapy, the deputies returned to patrol with the sheriff's office.
KING 5's Eric Wilkinson contributed to this report.
