Bellingham police responded to the report of a loud party shortly after midnight in the 2400 block of Cornwall Avenue in the Lettered Streets area, Sgt. Shawn Aiumu said. During the police response, two of the partygoers arrived at St. Joseph Hospital with stab wounds, he said.
The victims – both men, aged 19 and 20 – were stabbed by Joel S. Poppe with a knife during a fight in an alley behind the house, Aiumu said. Poppe, 22, who was visiting a friend, was trying to get rid of partygoers before police arrived, Aiumu said.
One of the men suffered stab wounds to his upper torso and arm. The other had a cut on his forehead. None of the injuries were life-threatening, Aiumu said.
Poppe left the scene after the stabbing but turned himself in about 7 a.m., Aiumu said.
Poppe was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on two counts of second-degree assault.
A spokeswoman from Joint Base Lewis-McChord said military officials had not received information on the incident and could not provide information about Poppe.
