WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Two Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies on Friday sued the man charged with shooting them.
Deputies Jason Thompson and Ryan Rathbun were shot Feb. 10 in Maple Falls.
Prosecutors say Joel Young shot at both deputies after neighbors called 911 to say Young had been firing his shotgun because he was upset with someone burning trash.
Deputy Thompson was shot first.
“Initially, I believed I was dead,” Thompson told reporters.
“I saw my best friend go flying backwards,” Rathbun said.
As he rushed in to help, prosecutors say Young also shot Rathbun.
Both deputies were struck in their faces and face long, uncertain recoveries.
Young is already charged with several crimes, including attempted murder.
Thompson and Rathbun just filed a personal injury lawsuit against him.
Their attorney, Daniel Horne, says they will be “going after absolutely every asset, every policy, everything that Joel Young has.”
After they were shot, the deputies say several neighbors shot at Young, driving him back into his house, where he was later arrested.
“The fact that they would step up and put themselves in danger for us speaks very highly of the neighborhood we have up there,” Thompson said.
Both Thompson and Rathbun were assigned to the portion of the county that includes Maple Falls, and say they are grateful for the community support.