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2 Whatcom County sheriff's deputies could lose eyesight after being shot in the head on the job

The two sheriff's deputies are in stable condition but could lose their eyesight due to their injuries, according to the prosecutor's office.

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — The man accused of shooting two Whatcom County sheriff's deputies is being held on $5 million bail. 

The suspect, identified as 60-year-old Joel Young, faces two charges of first-degree attempted murder. 

The two sheriff's deputies are in stable condition but could lose their eyesight after they were both shot in the head and face after responding to a dispute between neighbors in eastern Whatcom County Thursday evening. 

Just before 4:20 p.m., two Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies responded to a report of shots fired on the 3000 block of Green Valley Drive in Maple Falls, according to the Bellingham Police Department (BPD), which has taken over the investigation.

Police said 911 dispatchers received calls reporting a man was outside shooting a 12-gauge shotgun into the air. The BPD said other residents also called to report two people shooting at each other from different houses.

According to the BPD, the incident started around 3 p.m. when a neighbor of the suspect started to burn a pile of garbage. Investigators learned smoke from the fire allegedly entered the suspect’s home while he was drinking, “which enraged him,” the BPD said.

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Young, went outside to tell the neighbor to put the fire out and the neighbor told Young to “F— off,” which police said, “further enraged him.” Investigators said Young went back inside, grabbed a shotgun and fired a round of birdshot into the air toward the neighbor before going back inside to continue drinking.

The two deputies arrived at the scene around 4:40 p.m. The BPD said Young heard someone yelling “sheriff” and looked outside and saw someone crouching by his neighbor’s garage, which turned out to be the responding deputies. Young then went outside and the two deputies identified themselves and told Young to “drop the gun,” according to the BPD.

The deputies reported the suspect started yelling at them, waving a shotgun around and “appeared to be intoxicated by his speech and actions,” according to the BPD. Young then fired at the deputies, hitting one deputy in the head. The second responding deputy returned fire in an attempt to protect the injured deputy who was lying on the ground.

Young returned fire and shot the second deputy, according to the BPD. 

Investigators said an “unknown civilian” fired multiple rounds from a handgun at Young to protect the injured deputies. 

Both WCSO deputies were pulled into the garage and given first aid as other deputies responded to the scene.

Members of the WCSO Special Weapons and Tactics arrived and surrounded Young’s home. Young came out of the home just after 6 p.m. and surrendered. He was arrested for two counts of first-degree attempted murder and taken to the Bellingham police station.

The two injured Whatcom County deputies were taken to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Thursday night. The WCSO said one deputy was alert and stable at PeaceHealth Hospital Friday morning. The second deputy was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and was under the care of a specialist, the WCSO said.

"We're very grateful for the response we've received from virtually every law enforcement agency in the county responding to help," said Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo. "The fire department, their high level of competence and professionalism in ensuring they got the best treatment, and for the hospital, pulling out all the best stops to make sure they got trauma surgeons and nursing staff and other medical professionals that they could."

Both deputies have had a long tenure with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, Elfo said. They work in the agency's neighborhood deputy program.

"The community loves them, and the area they serve, they care about people, they care about keeping people safe, and they care about getting dangerous criminals off the street, even when they put their own lives in jeopardy like they did yesterday," Elfo said.

The investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Response Team (LEMART).

“We are ever so grateful the WCSO deputies are in stable condition and that no residents were injured,” said Bellingham Police Chief Flo Simon. “The members of the LEMART team are working tirelessly to ensure there is a thorough and complete investigation delivered to the prosecutor’s office. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the WCSO deputies, their families, and the entire Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. We wish them a speedy recovery.”

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