Teen arrested in Custer drive-by shooting

A 17-year-old Custer resident was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a drive-by shooting the night of June 17. 

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies responded to a drive-by shooting in the 7600 block of Custer School Road about 9:30 p.m. June 17, according to a WCSO news release. WCSO chief deputy Rodger Funk said in an email that the suspect and victim were known to each other and have a reported past conflict. Funk said no one was injured and the sheriff’s office doesn’t believe other people were involved. 

Deputies identified the suspect’s vehicle and found a bullet on scene, according to the news release.

A Bellingham Police Department officer located the suspect’s vehicle in the 1800 block of Texas Street several hours later around 12:50 a.m. June 18. The vehicle attempted to elude police but struck a fence and then crashed into a tree at a dead end on North Shore Road along Lake Whatcom, according to WCSO. 

Bellingham police officers arrested the driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, without incident and booked him into Whatcom County Juvenile Detention on charges of attempting to elude police, driving under the influence and hit and run. 

Law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and found two handguns, a Kel-Tec 9 mm rifle, magazines and ammunition, according to the news release. The boy was later charged with two counts of drive-by shooting, three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of unlawful firearm.