Whatcom County man who initially survived being shot in head has since died
An 18-year-old Whatcom County man who was shot in the head last week has died from his injuries.
Alejandro Pallares spent a week in the hospital in critical condition after he was shot in the head May 18.
Bellingham police arrested Cristian Angel Lara-Guzman, 18, after the shooting. Pallares and Lara-Guzman were playing with a laser light attached to the handgun at the time of the shooting, according to court documents.
“At just 18 years old, he touched countless lives, with his whole future still ahead of him,” according to the GoFundMe account set up to pay for the family’s medical expenses.
Pallares, Lara-Guzman and a third person were the only ones in an apartment in the 4200 block of Creston Way, according to court documents. They were examining the laser sights on a 9mm handgun, according to court documents.
The unnamed female witness later told police that Lara-Guzman and Pallares had come over to her apartment to hang out and were playing around with the gun, which belonged to Pallares. She told police Lara-Guzman was pointing it at Pallares and waving it around the room.
The female left the room, and about a minute later there was a gunshot. The female returned to the room to find the gun on the bed and Pallares bleeding. Lara-Guzman told her to call 911, court documents state.
Lara-Guzman allegedly made a “spontaneous utterance at the scene saying he messed up.” He later told the 911 operator over the phone that he didn’t know there was a bullet in the chamber of the weapon, according to court documents.
Police responded to the scene around 7:05 p.m. and found Pallares unresponsive. He was taken to Saint Joseph Medical Center in critical condition. He succumbed to his injuries May 25.
After Lara-Guzman was read his rights, he told police the female had nothing to do with the incident.
Lara-Guzman was originally charged with first-degree assault, but that charge was amended to first-degree manslaughter, a class A felony, following Pallares’ death, Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Herald. He is also charged with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, a class B felony. He is expected to make his initial court appearance Friday.
This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 3:03 PM.
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