WCSO deputies out of hospital after Maple Falls shooting, suspect arrested

Two Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies who were shot February 10 while responding to a Maple Falls altercation have been released from the hospital and at home recovering. The suspect was booked into Skagit County Community Justice Center for two counts of attempted first-degree murder and awaits arraignment Friday.

WCSO deputies responded to a report of two neighbors shooting at each other from different houses in the 3000 block of Green Valley Drive in Maple Falls, around 4:20 p.m. February 10. Before the call, 60-year-old Joel Berck Young, who was later identified as the man who allegedly shot at the deputies, had been drinking when his neighbor started burning garbage, according to the Bellingham police department. Young confronted his neighbor about the smoke seeping into his house, to which his neighbor replied using expletives. Young loaded his shotgun with birdshot, smaller pellets used for waterfowl hunting, and fired it toward his neighbor before returning home.

WCSO deputies arrived and attempted to talk to Young while standing across the street. Young, who appeared intoxicated, waved his 12-gauge shotgun before firing at both deputies’ heads, according to the Bellingham police department. Young hit deputy Jason Thompson in the head immediately, who dropped to the ground, while deputy Ryan Rathburn shielded Thompson, according to the affidavit of probable cause. Thompson retreated to cover after Young shot him. A neighbor fired a handgun at Young to protect the deputies, while residents pulled the deputies into a neighbor’s garage and performed first aid.

Young peacefully surrendered around 6 p.m. after the WCSO SWAT team surrounded his home. 

Washington State Patrol asked drivers to avoid the area as first responders transported both deputies to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham. One of the deputies was later transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle to be watched under the care of a specialist, according to WCSO. 

The Bellingham Herald reported the deputies may lose eyesight and one may lose an eye.

The deputies were released from the hospital as of February 14, according to WCSO. Rathburn has been a WCSO officer for nearly 16 years, serving as a field training officer and member of the sheriff’s office’s SWAT team. Thompson has been a WCSO officer for 13 years, serving as the South Lake Whatcom neighborhood deputy and a member of the WCSO crisis negotiations team. 

Bellingham Police Department booked the suspect, Joel Berck Young, into Skagit County Community Justice Center at 11:50 p.m. February 10. Young’s bail was set at $5 million and his arraignment is scheduled Friday, February 18.

The Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Response Team (LEMART) has taken over the investigation. Signed into law in 2019, LEMART is the county’s independent investigation team made up of detectives, investigators and a non-law enforcement representative in every police jurisdiction.

“Everyone at Blaine PD was horrified to hear about the shooting of the two deputies that occurred,” Blaine Police Department sergeant Tim Richardson said in an email to The Northern Light. “When incidents like this occur, it really does bring our law enforcement community together. As such, Blaine PD was more than willing to assist in any way possible.”

While WCSO responded to the scene, Blaine officers took over service calls in Birch Bay, Blaine and Custer, Richardson said. Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley brought food and beverage to staff at the scene’s incident command post.

Richardson said the police department wishes the two deputies a speedy recovery. Fundraising accounts for the deputies have already exceeded their $5,000 goals. Rathburn’s GoFundMe is available at bit.ly/3gR3uCE and Thompson’s GoFundMe is available at bit.ly/3rNpjJF.