A paremedic with the deceased victim inside the ambulance. Photo by Alex Roberts

At  around 11:10 p.m. Friday night, a man was shot and killed at the intersection of Ivy Street and North Garden, in what appears to be the first homicide in Bellingham this year.

According to Lt. Steve Felmley of the Bellingham Police Department, witnesses called 911 after hearing an argument between people in two cars on Ivy Street end with a gunshot. One vehicle peeled out and fled north on Garden. Some witnesses said they saw a second vehicle leave as well.  

Hurrying across the street to help, neighbors found the man outside of his car, in the grass alongside Ivy Street. 

The victim had taken a gunshot wound to the chest, Felmley said, and was treated in an ambulance on scene. The ambulance left at about 12:25 a.m., and police reported the man deceased shortly after. 

Lt. Felmley said the victim's name, age and residence is being withheld until after officials notify the next of kin. Felmley also did not give any information on any suspects, the type of vehicle they were driving or any idea of a motive, saying it was too early in the case.  

Sydney De Victoria' Michel lives on the corner of East Myrtle and North Garden. She and a group of friends heard the shot and saw the suspects leaving the scene.  

"We heard something that sounded like it was a car backfiring and looked out and saw a car squealing away and were joking about it like 'that just looks weird,'" said De Victoria' Michel, "and then we opened the window to get a better look and saw a guy laying in the street. So we came out here and the neighbors came out and we rushed up and noticed that there was blood coming down so they called the cops and just waited for them to come." 

After investigating the scene, detectives will be interviewing witnesses and people who were with the victim prior to the shooting. 

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Any information regarding the homicide should be directed to Detective Daniel Kelsh (360-778-8690) of the Bellingham Police Department.

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