Man arrested after pointing gun at sheriff’s deputies

By Stefanie Donahue

During an hours-long standoff at a home in Birch Bay last weekend, two Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies ducked for cover after Kyle Diehl, 36, allegedly pointed his 9 mm handgun in their direction.

According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WSCO), deputies arrived to the home at Seashell Way around noon on October 13 after receiving a domestic dispute report from Diehl’s girlfriend.

After leaving the residence with her son, she used her neighbor’s phone to report that Diehl was “highly intoxicated and suffering from mental health issues.”

Deputies found Diehl outside the home when they arrived. Shortly after, he raised his handgun and pointed it at two deputies who immediately took cover and demanded that he drop the weapon.

Diehl ran into the home where his five-year-old daughter was and fired his weapon. A crisis officer from the county SWAT unit negotiated with Diehl to get him to surrender. He subsequently let his daughter leave the residence unharmed while refusing to surrender until around 3:30 p.m.

He was arrested on suspicion of first degree assault and booked into Whatcom County Jail.

A search warrant was served and a 9 mm handgun was found in the living room; a spent shell casing was found outside of the home, “where Diehl [allegedly] fired a round in the direction of the deputies,” according to the sheriff’s office.