4 people stabbed at large party northeast of Bellingham

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) - Authorities say a Lynden man was arrested after four men were stabbed at a large party northeast of Bellingham in Everson.

The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Antonio Santiago Vazquez into Whatcom County Jail Wednesday on suspicion of three counts of first-degree assault with a knife and second-degree assault, The Bellingham Herald reported.

Deputies and police officers from Everson and Sumas responded at approximately 2 a.m. Wednesday and found a party with “several hundred” people in attendance was being held at the Glen Echo Community Center, according to the sheriff’s office.

A fight had broken out involving “numerous” people and Santiago Vasquez reportedly left the scene in a car, the sheriff’s office said.

Four men were stabbed and two of them had “serious, life-threatening injuries” while the other two had injuries that were less severe, the sheriff’s office said. All were taken to a local hospital.

Deputies arrested Santiago Vazquez near Lynden without incident. It wasn’t immediately known if Santiago Vazquez has a lawyer to comment on the case.

According to the Glen Echo Community Club website, the facility cautions renters to adhere to state COVID-19 guidelines but says it is not responsible for illness if guidelines are broken.