Six Whatcom deputies placed on administrative leave during investigation into shooting
Six Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies have been placed on paid administrative leave during the independent investigation of a police-involved shooting during the arrest of a murder suspect Monday evening, Oct. 12, in Bellingham’s Birchwood Neighborhood.
The leave “is standard practice and is not disciplinary in nature,” Undersheriff Doug Chadwick told The Bellingham Herald in an email Thursday, Oct. 15.
Zachary Scott Ranahan, 34, was not struck by deputies’ gunfire as they arrested him on suspicion of first-degree murder Monday, according to a release by the Skagit Multiple Agency Response Team, an agency also known as SMART, that is handling the independent investigation.
Ranahan and 36-year-old Roseanne Louise Paden of Bellingham allegedly used a ruse to lure 41-year-old Clinton E. Gulick, also of Bellingham, to rural Whatcom County before shooting and killing him Sunday morning, Oct. 11, according to Whatcom County Superior Court records released Monday.
Paden was booked into Whatcom County Jail Sunday evening on suspicion of first-degree murder, and the sheriff’s office on Monday afternoon asked for the public’s assistance in locating Ranahan.
Following a tip, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office located Ranahan at an apartment complex in the 3100 block of West Maplewood Avenue at approximately 4:11 p.m. Monday, according to the SMART release.
Shortly after deputies arrived, Ranahan attempted to run away, but deputies were able to track him into nearby brush, the release states, and it was shortly after that the shots were fired.
“In accordance with Sheriff’s Office protocol, members involved in the shooting related to Mr. Ranahan’s arrest were placed on administrative leave,” Chadwick told The Herald.
Ranahan, who was charged Monday, is being held in Whatcom County Jail in lieu of $3 million bail, while Padden’s bail is $1.5 million. Both are scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 23.
Deputies are continuing to actively investigate the alleged murder, sheriff’s office spokesperson Deb Slater told The Herald in an email.
SMART investigation
Shortly after Ranahan’s arrest, the sheriff’s office contacted SMART, which is comprised of detectives from several Skagit County police agencies, to conduct a thorough, independent investigation into the incident, the SMART release states, and that investigation also is ongoing.
Investigations into police-involved shootings can take several months to complete, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Heather Axtman, who is serving as the spokesperson for the SMART investigation.
While the investigation is ongoing, Axtman told The Herald she could not comment on pieces of the investigation, such as how many shots were fired by deputies, what provoked them to fire, if Ranahan had a gun or if he possibly fired at deputies, though she said updates from SMART may be released periodically.
Once the investigation is completed, SMART will send the results to the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to determine if any charges are warranted, Axtman said.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 1:18 PM.
