BELLINGHAM - A man whom police believe was selling marijuana out of his backpack was attacked with a machete at a neighborhood park Thursday night, Sept. 1, according to the Bellingham Police Department.

A 21-year-old Bellingham resident told police that he had been walking in Rock Hill Park in the York neighborhood at about 8:30 p.m. when two men attacked him with a machete and stole his backpack.

The man had multiple cuts to his head, arm and leg, and his brother chased the suspects to Lakeway Drive, where they ran east. The man described his attackers as a skinny white man with brown hair, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, a black ski mask and white jeans; and a black man with a buzz cut, black pants and a black hooded sweatshirt.

A police dog sniffed out a path from the scene to the Guest House Inn on Lakeway Drive, where the trail went cold. On the way, the dog found several items of clothing worn by the suspects, including a black ski mask.

The victim told officers he had no idea why the men would attack him, but further investigation revealed that the man had most likely come to the park to sell marijuana, according to police. Packaged marijuana was found in a nearby car associated with the victim and his brother, and more marijuana was found in a nearby hotel room associated with the brothers.

Police think the robbery was part of a drug deal gone bad or that the victim was targeted for a drug rip-off. Anyone with information about the incident should call Detective Sgt. Jason Monson at 360-778-8838.