By Kera Wanielista / Skagit Valley Herald
A 40-year-old Arlington man has been charged in Skagit County Superior Court with first-degree attempted murder after shooting at a woman as she left work.
Brian Douglas Cantrell is accused of shooting at a Western Bud employee several times after she closed the business in the 6100 block of Highway 20 near Anacortes late Tuesday night.
According to court documents, Cantrell had been loitering in the area of Western Bud and neighboring properties for several hours.
The employee had called 911 as she was preparing to leave, documents state. As she walked to her vehicle minutes later, Cantrell allegedly fired at her several times, hitting her vehicle at least twice with at least one bullet striking her driver’s side door, documents state.
The woman, who did not know Cantrell, was able to flee the scene uninjured.
Using license plate information provided by the woman, investigators determined the vehicle used by Cantrell was registered to an address in Island County, and the Island County Sheriff’s Office was advised of the incident.
A short time later, the Island County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Cantrell had shown up at his ex-wife’s home, armed with a gun, documents state.
When deputies arrived, Cantrell, who allegedly had two guns near him, allegedly did not comply with commands from deputies, forcing them to use their Tasers.
Of the two firearms found in his possession, one was found to be missing ammunition, documents state.
After being apprehended, Cantrell allegedly told investigators that he had been chased to a picnic table near Western Bud by a group of people, including the victim, who was the only one still around when he fired his weapon.
Cantrell is being held in the Skagit County Community Justice Center on $1 million bail. He is set to be arraigned on May 7.
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