Pierce County man charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting Whatcom man over puppies
A Pierce County man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting a Whatcom County man over some puppies Thursday afternoon.
Scott Richard Baker, 53, was charged Friday, July 16, in Whatcom County Superior Court with attempted first-degree murder, attempting to elude and an unattended hit and run, according to court documents. Baker was arrested July 15 after a high-speed chase that went into Skagit County.
Baker was expected to make his first court appearance Friday afternoon.
This is the second attempted murder in Whatcom County in less than a week.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 4:15 p.m. to the 5400 block of Mount Baker Highway on Thursday for the report of a male with a gunshot wound. The victim was shot in the abdomen and was taken to St. Joseph’s hospital.
The victim was in critical condition as of Friday afternoon, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The victim’s wife told deputies Baker and an unknown woman came to their house unannounced in Deming around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, with pit bull puppies. Baker and the victim are reportedly friends, according to court documents.
One of the wife’s friends came to pick up one of the puppies that she agreed to purchase from Baker. Baker’s friend told the wife’s friend that she could take the puppy, so the woman left the property with the dog, believing it was hers. The woman told deputies that Baker had told her she could take the dog and that she needed to pay the victim, court records state.
When Baker realized the woman had taken the dog, he began “freaking out” and the woman was told to return the puppy, the records state. The victim’s wife told her to take her time due to Baker’s erratic behavior, and went to bed.
When the victim’s wife woke up in the morning, Baker and his friend were gone, but returned to the Deming property on Thursday, the records state.
Around 4 p.m., Baker allegedly got impatient and demanded the woman return the dog, because the puppies needed to get shots at 6 p.m. in Tacoma, the records show.
Baker allegedly told the victim and his wife “I don’t care, I will shoot everyone on this property,” according to court records. Baker and the victim walked back toward a vehicle the victim was fixing up for Baker. The victim’s wife told deputies she was at the front of the property when she heard a gunshot and then her husband screaming, court records state.
The wife told deputies she found her husband on the ground and Baker standing nearby with a long gun that had a wood stock and scope on it. Baker allegedly told the victim’s wife it was an accident and then kicked the victim as he walked away, the records show.
The female friend who came with Baker ran to a nearby property where she stayed until deputies arrived. The friend told deputies she was sitting in a car when she saw Baker and the victim arguing. She said she saw Baker come to the car, grab a gun from a gun case and walk back toward Baker. The woman told deputies she saw Baker walk toward the victim, get in a crouched position and aim the firearm at the victim, according to court records.
The woman said she heard the gunshot and then ran to the nearby house, records state.
Baker allegedly got into a vehicle and headed southbound on Mount Baker Highway to a friend’s house, where he asked to hide the vehicle he was driving. The friend told deputies he heard Baker say he shot the victim, but that it was an accident, the records show. The friend then told Baker he needed to leave.
Around 5 p.m. on Thursday, deputies spotted Baker’s vehicle on Highway 9 in the Acme area. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but Baker allegedly fled and a pursuit was started, according to court records and a sheriff’s office press release.
Deputies pursued Baker down Highway 9 at speeds above 80 mph, before he eventually fled south into Skagit County. At some point during the pursuit, Baker allegedly hit a gate in the Acme area and damaged it, court records state.
Deputies used a pursuit intervention technique, which spun Baker’s vehicle into a field. Baker received minor medical treatment at the scene and was arrested, the records show.
Two small puppies were taken safely from the back of the vehicle and taken to the Whatcom County Humane Society for care, the sheriff’s press release states.
This story was originally published July 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
