When a robber armed with a hammer entered Yeager’s Sporting Goods in Bellingham—one of the best-known firearms and fishing tackle stores in Western Washington—and started smashing glass cases containing firearms, an armed store employee shot him, according to the Bellingham Herald.
The unidentified employee fired one round and hit the suspect in the chest, the newspaper said.
For the 37-year-old suspect, it was apparently his second, and last, robbery attempt of the day. Shortly before the Yeager’s attempt, the same man and a second man were allegedly involved in the theft of liquor from a nearby food store. Police officers investigating that incident also responded to the shooting about 15 minutes later.
The wounded suspect reportedly used a hammer in his attempt to smash the glass counter, and when that didn’t work, he allegedly leaped over the counter in an effort to access the firearms inside. That was when the armed employee, reportedly in fear for his life, drew and fired.
The second suspect apparently did not enter Yeager’s. He was approached by police and questioned about the first robbery.
