Parkview Elementary placed on lockout while police search for man in Cornwall Park
A Bellingham man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly threatened and charged another man in Cornwall Park with what appeared to be a knife before the victim drew a gun to prevent an attack.
Nearby Parkview Elementary school was placed on lockout protocol for approximately 10 minutes after students had been released for the day and most had gone home while officers searched for the suspect, Bellingham Public Schools spokesperson Dana Smith told The Bellingham Herald.
Bellingham police booked Daryl James Coates, 40, into Whatcom County Jail Feb. 4 on suspicion of felony harassment and resisting arrest. Jail records show he’s being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Officers were called to the area at approximately 2:32 p.m., after the victim reported that Coates, who the victim did not know or have any previous interaction with, had threatened to kill him and advanced with a metal object in his hand, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Herald in an email.
The victim told police he backed away from Coates and warned him that he had a handgun, Murphy reported. The victim then drew the gun and pointed it at Coates, who reportedly stopped advancing but continued to make threats, before he walked away.
Officers located Coates in the park, and he was told to stop and that he was under arrest, Murphy wrote, but he ignored commands and continued to walk toward Birchwood Avenue.
In addition to the commands, police attempted to deescalate the situation by limiting Coates’ potential escape routes and using less lethal munition options, but Murphy wrote Coates refused to follow commands.
Officers eventually were able to seize an opportunity when Coates did not have any weapons in his hands to take him down and handcuff him, Murphy reported. Medics checked Coates for injury, and he was taken to jail.
Coates has previous convictions for indecent exposure, possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespassing, protection order violation, harassment and residential burglary since 1999.
