Man puts a machete to victim’s neck during robbery in downtown Bellingham, police say
A man remains in the Whatcom County Jail after he allegedly robbed a man while wielding a machete in downtown Bellingham.
Christopher Grant, 42, was arrested on Friday, Aug. 11, for first-degree robbery after the alleged victim contacted police at about 10:30 a.m. that day on the 1800 block of Cornwall Avenue, according to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy.
The victim told Bellingham Police officers that Grant approached him and took out a black-handled machete from a soft sheath on a shopping cart. Grant allegedly placed the blade of the machete against the left side of the victim’s neck and told him to “empty your pockets or I’m gonna cut your head off,” Murphy told The Bellingham Herald.
The victim told police he backed away from Grant. Grant then pointed the machete at the victim’s stomach before the victim ran away and called police, Murphy said.
Grant was stopped by police while walking away from the scene of the incident. He still had the machete on him and admitted to being there, having an argument with the victim and borrowing the machete prior to the incident. But he denied wielding it at the victim, according to Murphy.
Grant was booked into the Whatcom County Jail where he remains on $50,000 bail, jail records show.
This story was originally published August 15, 2023 at 10:01 AM.
