Man reportedly stabbed four times during disagreement at Bellingham motel
A disagreement between two men Thursday evening at a Bellingham motel reportedly turned physical, with one man attempting to throw punches and the other allegedly stabbing him four times.
Bellingham police booked Chas Mikel Ray Buerger, 24, into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault, and jail records show he is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Officers were sent to the Morning Glory Inn and Suites in the 3700 block of Meridian Street at 9:41 p.m. July 16 for the report of a stabbing, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
The first officers on scene were directed toward Buerger, who was leaving the area where the stabbing occurred, Murphy reported, and they took him into custody.
Investigation showed that Buerger and the stabbing victim had a disagreement, in which the victim yelled at Buerger, Murphy wrote. The victim also reportedly kicked the door to the room Buerger was in, before the yelling and kicking stopped.
A person who was also staying in the room Buerger was in opened the door to see if the victim had left, when the victim strode past them, entered the room and starting throwing punches, according to Murphy.
Buerger responded by picking up a knife from the bed and stabbing the victim four times — once in the arm and three times in the side of his torso, Murphy reported. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment to the knife wounds, none of which were life-threatening.
Speaking to officers, Buerger said he wasn’t sure if he was hit by any of the victim’s punches nor how many times he stabbed the victim, Murphy wrote.
