Posted: February 5, 2010 2:43:56 PM PST
Bellingham Officers responded to the report of an assault involving a gun in the 2400 block of J Street early Friday morning. The call to 911 came in from a neighbor at about 8:55 a.m. The neighbor reported hearing gun shots and seeing a woman being shot.
The suspect in the shooting left before officers could arrive. Officers located a female victim in the home with multiple gunshot wounds. Bellingham Paramedics transported the 39 year old to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
As this event was unfolding, Bellingham Police were sent to a home in the 2800 block of Moore Street on the report of a man with a gun, officers responded believing the incidents were related. When the officers arrived, they encountered a man running away from a home in the 2800 block of Moore Street with a gun in his hand.
One of the responding officers chased the suspect as he ran north on Moore Street past East Illinois. A second officer arrived on a Police Motorcycle. During the foot chase, shots were fired by one of the responding officer towards the armed suspect. The suspect died at the scene however at this time it is too early to determine if the fatal wound was self inflicted or as a result of the confrontation with police. The cause of death will be determined by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner. The officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave as is standard procedure. One of the officers has 20 years experience and the other has 26 years experience with the Bellingham Police Department.
The Bellingham Police department is investigating the homicide of the 39 year old Bellingham woman, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the officer involved shooting.
The homicide victim has been identified as 39 year old Tawnia Costan. The suspect in the police involved shooting has been identified as 55 year old Daniel Salas. Both are Bellingham residents.
Since the incidents, we have learned that Costan and Salas were involved in a domestic relationship but the details of that relationship have not been confirmed.
Karen Burke of the Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault Services in Whatcom County (DVSAS) said “ It’s important to understand that domestic violence is a real issue in Whatcom County and that DVSAS is available 24 hours a day to provide information and support to members in our community on this and all other domestic violence issues.” For more information about the services of DVSAS please call 715-1563.
For more information on this incident, please contact Public Information Officer Mark Young at (360)778-8815.
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Media Contact:
Mark Young
Public Information Officer
Bellingham Police Department
(360)778-8815
myoung@cob.org
