Man barricades woman in Samish Way motel room, then threatens to shoot 4 who broke in
A man reportedly barricaded a woman who had two restraining orders against him in a Samish Way motel room, choked her and then threatened to shoot four people who broke into the room to intervene.
Bellingham police booked Lorin Edward French, 56, into Whatcom County Jail Saturday, Dec. 28, on suspicion of second-degree assault (domestic violence), unlawful imprisonment, felony harassment and two counts of violation of a protection order. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Officers were called at 9:24 p.m. Saturday to the Villa Inn in the 200 block of North Samish Way for the report of a man with a gun, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald. Witnesses told police that French pulled a gun and then left the scene.
The investigation revealed the woman had two active restraining orders prohibiting French from contacting her following previous domestic violence incidents, Murphy said.
On Saturday, French reportedly came to the room the woman was staying in and barricaded the door with various items from the room. French and the woman then got in an argument, Murphy said, and French put his hands around the woman’s throat and choked her.
Four people nearby heard the struggle and forced their way through the door to help the woman, Murphy said. When they entered, Murphy said French reportedly told them to leave because he had a gun and did not want to shoot anyone.
French then dove toward the bed and reached under the mattress, Murphy said, making the four people believe he had a gun. They left for their own safety and called 911.
French was able to escape the room at that time, and Murphy said criminal history checks showed French had been convicted of at least two other court order violations.
Murphy said police did not locate a gun.
