Man arrested for aiming gun at shoppers, police

BELLINGHAM — At approximately 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, Bellingham resident Kelton T. Lane reportedly pointed a gun at several people, including a Bellingham police o cer, in a busy parking lot in the 4300 block of Meridian Street.

According to a Feb. 21 press release from the City of Bellingham, o cers tried to stop Lane, 27 “but he hid and moved between cars attempting to ee.”

O cers continued to pursue Lane on foot and took him into custody after they used “less lethal munitions to stop his ight.”

According to the City of Bellingham, o cers received a call earlier in the day about Lane “walking around the parking lot near TJ MAXX, carrying a gun in his pocket.”

Lane reportedly stole merchandise from TJ MAXX but ed before o cers could contact him.

At 2:30 p.m., more calls came into 9-1-1 about Lane “brandishing the handgun in the air and at people in passing cars.” According to the City of Bellingham, o cers “got there and tried to stop Lane, telling him to put his hands up. However, he ed rather than comply.”

Lane reportedly ran “toward the stores in a heavily used parking lot armed with what appeared to be a handgun.”

O cers reportedly pursued him on foot and in police cars.

“At one point, Lane ran up to an occupied truck and pointed the handgun directly at the driver,” the City of Bellingham stated in the press release.

“ e driver, frightened for his life and believing he was about to be robbed of his truck, sped o to ag down police. One of the rst o cers into the area turned a corner and Lane was facing the o cer’s car with his arm locked out, aiming the rearm directly at the o cer. Lane began running and hiding between parked cars. Ofcers pursued him on foot and, when able, deescalated this situation using a less lethal system to deploy drag stabilized exible batons at Lane and striking him. is had the desired e ect of Lane dropping the