Police fire bean bags to subdue man armed with knife after he smashes windshield
A transient man was arrested Monday after he allegedly smashed the windshield of an occupied car, was armed with a knife and behaved aggressively, requiring law enforcement to fire less-than-lethal bean bag rounds at him.
Marvin Lee Cooper Jr., 38, was arrested Monday, Nov. 11, on suspicion of third-degree malicious mischief and resisting arrest.
Around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Bellingham police officers responded to a report of a male who had smashed the windshield of an occupied car with a hatchet, according to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy. The incident occurred at the 76 gas station near the airport, according to emergency radio traffic.
Officers later identified the man as Cooper, who they had contacted several times earlier that day. During one of those conversations, Cooper told an officer that he was carrying a knife and a hatchet, Murphy said.
After he allegedly smashed the windshield, officers found Cooper, who appeared to be upset and behaving aggressively, throwing his hands around, Murphy said.
Officers ordered Cooper to the ground, but he ignored their commands, became more agitated and moved toward the officers, Murphy said. Officers warned Cooper that if he didn’t comply, he would be shot with a drag-stabilized baton — or less-than-lethal bean bag round — Murphy said.
Cooper didn’t comply, so the officers fired a bean bag round at him, Murphy said. Cooper became enraged and moved closer to the officers again, Murphy said.
The officers shot Cooper with more bean bag rounds, but he continued to stand, yelling at the officers, Murphy said. Cooper then went around the corner of a nearby building, Murphy said.
“Given he was armed, had clearly shown complete disregard for the safety of other people by smashing a windshield, had disobeyed officers even after being impacted by a drag-stabilized baton, (Cooper) put officers at even greater risk now that they could not see him or see if he further armed himself,” she said.
Cooper was shot with two more bean bag rounds before he complied and stayed on the ground, Murphy said. When officers approached him, they found a knife next to him, Murphy said.
During a search, officers also found Cooper had a second knife, Murphy said. Cooper was evaluated by medics with the Bellingham Fire Department and he was taken to St. Joseph hospital as a precaution, she said.
When Cooper was medically cleared, he was booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
The investigation revealed Cooper smashed the windshield with a rock, not a hatchet, Murphy said.
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
