A 39-year-old member of the Lummi Nation pled guilty on Thursday to charges of illegal gun possession and the killing of two bald eagles in February 2025.
According to a Department of Justice press release, records from the case show that on February 23 of last year, a witness on the Lummi reservation said he was walking his dog when he heard two gunshots and saw someone pick up a bald eagle from the ground.
After talking with the witness, officers searched the suspect’s car; they found a .22 caliber rifle and another dead bald eagle. The statement said the suspect was not allowed to have a gun at the time due to a 2003 conviction for Assault in the First Degree in Whatcom County Superior Court.
The surviving eagle was euthanized at the Washington State Humane Society in Bellingham after suffering from gunshot wounds.
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
KIRO 7 has reached out to the Lummi Nation and is awaiting a response.
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