Second man arrested in weekend shooting outside nightclub in downtown Bellingham
Bellingham Police announced Monday that they have arrested a second suspect in Sunday’s downtown shooting incident outside a nightclub that resulted in two men being shot.
Brian Lucas Kilete, 27 of Blaine, was booked into Whatcom County jail Monday, July 18, on suspicion of first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, reckless endangerment and second- and third-degree malicious mischief.
Shortly after the incident early Sunday, July 17, Gawain Allen Orcutt was booked into Whatcom County Jail for three counts of first-degree assault with a firearm. Jail records show his bail was set at $250,000.
At approximately 12:31 a.m., officers were called to the alley parking lot being the Underground Nightclub in the 200 block of East Chestnut Street, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email Monday.
Officers found a 42-year-old man and a 20-year-old man had suffered gunshot wounds to their foot and lower leg, respectively, Murphy reported, and both men were taken to St. Joseph’s hospital for treatment.
Police reviewed camera footage of the incident and saw that Orcutt was involved in a flight and was knocked to the ground, according to Murphy. He got up, went to his car, retrieved a handgun and fired multiple shots indiscriminately in the direction of the crowd he’d just fought with, Murphy reported.
Orcutt then found the 42-year-old victim hiding near a dumpster and shot him in the foot at close range, according to Murphy, before he fired more rounds toward an occupied car that police found did not have anything to do with the fight.
Orcutt then saw a car driving through the alley and pointed his gun at it, ran after it and punched it, Murphy reported. The car left the alley, leaving Orcutt standing near the 20-year-old victim, who was uninjured at the time.
Meanwhile, video showed Kilete coming into the area from the east side of the building, carrying a handgun in his left hand, according to Murphy. Kilete raised the gun and fired multiple shots toward Orcutt, the 20-year-old victim and a passing red car, Murphy reported.
Orcutt and the 20-year-old victim hid between nearby cars, though Murphy said it appeared the victim had been shot.
“Kilete was firing his gun into a crowded backdrop where there were at least four people, two occupied cars and several other parked cars. Officers found four cars which had been struck by gunfire, two of which were across the parking lot, (a) sidewalk and in parking stalls across a lane of travel on Railroad Ave.,” Murphy wrote, adding that the damage to the cars was estimated to be more than $3,500.
Police spoke to Kilete after arriving on the scene, but he told them he didn’t see anything and just heard gunshots, Murphy reporting. He also reportedly told police that the people who had fired the shot were in the car.
“He fails to mention that just moments before he had fired several rounds from his own handgun into a crowded parking lot and was responsible for half of the gunfire exchange,” Murphy wrote. “He was allowed to leave at that time, as officers were still attempting to control this chaotic scene with two gunshot victims and large crowd.
“Detectives were able to discover via video footage that he was actually responsible for much of the shooting.”
Murphy also reported that police were recommending a drive-by shooting charge be added for Orcutt because he reportedly retrieved his handgun from his vehicle before shooting.
This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 4:49 PM.
