Man sentenced to jail for 2022 drive-by shooting outside former Bellingham nightclub
A Sedro Woolley man was sentenced in Whatcom County Superior Court on Tuesday to 89 days in jail for his role in a 2022 drive-by shooting in downtown Bellingham that left one man injured.
Emanuel Martinez-Lucero, 24, was arrested on March 28, 2023, five months after allegedly shooting a man in the stomach through the window of his car. According to court records, Martinez-Lucero got into an altercation with the victim’s friend outside the former Underground Nightclub. Later, while the victim and his friend were standing in the parking lot, a silver Acura drove by.
Shots were fired from the passenger side of the car, with one striking the victim in the stomach. He was taken in a personal car to St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham. Police found two bullet casings in the parking lot, court documents state.
Martinez-Lucero was initially charged with first-degree assault and drive-by shooting, both felonies, upon his arrest. He pleaded guilty to amended charges of two counts of fourth-degree assault in court.
According to prosecutor Natasha Campbell, the victim did not want to proceed to trial or come to court. He was “fine with any resolution,” Campbell said, and just wanted to put the incident behind him. He told his attorney to tell Martinez-Lucero that he hopes he can learn from his actions, and wishes him the best in the future.
At this time, he is not seeking restitution.
Sarah Jurick, the public defender representing Martinez-Lucero, said a lengthy sentence for her client “has very serious potential collateral consequences.” She said Martinez-Lucero is the sole caretaker for his child, and he has a steady job.
“This is not the kind of behavior we expect in downtown Bellingham, or anywhere for that matter,” said Judge Lee Grochmal.
Grochmal agreed to the state’s recommended sentence of 364 days in jail with 275 days suspended and credit for a few days of time served. He can apply for jail alternatives after 89 days. A no-contact order with the victim has been put in place, and Martinez-Lucero is also required to complete a four-hour course on parenting, conflict resolution or anger management.
Editor’s note (March 6): This article has been revised to correct/clarify some reporting. Martinez-Lucero was arrested for allegedly shooting someone, though the shooting was never proven in court. Attorney Natasha Campbell represented the state in this case. The plea agreement included a sentence of 364 days in jail with 275 days suspended.
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 10:52 AM.