No foul play in death outside of former Birch Bay medical clinic

The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) determined no foul play was involved in the death of an 86-year-old man who was found in the parking lot of a former Birch Bay medical facility.

WCSO began investigating the death around 6:30 a.m. August 3 in the 8000 block of Harborview Road before sending the case to the Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office, wrote Deb Slater, WCSO public information officer, in an email to The Northern Light.

Whatcom County Medical Examiner Dr. Aldo Fusaro said the person was an elderly Blaine man who died by suicide from a gunshot wound.

Call 911 if you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988 or text HOME to 741741 for a crisis counselor.

The Whatcom County Triage Center crisis line is 800/584-3578.

The Washington Warm Line is 877/500-9276 and provides peer support for people living with mental illness 5-9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

For more information about resources, visit namiwhatcom.org/crisis-resources.html.