WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lummi Nation Police Department has led to the arrest of a man accused of shooting juvenile bald eagles on the Lummi Nation Indian Reservation.
The incident occurred on the morning of Feb. 23, 2025.
According to an affidavit, a witness reported seeing an older gray SUV parked near his driveway and hearing gunshots. The witness saw a man standing next to the vehicle and later saw the same man pick up an eagle from the ground. The witness decided to call 911 after watching another eagle fall from a tree on his property.
Responding officers located an unoccupied SUV matching the description provided by the witness, which was registered to a man named Joel Ridley. Officers later encountered Ridley, who denied shooting eagles and claimed to have been swimming.
However, a dead eagle was found in the backseat of his SUV. An injured but still-living eagle was also discovered in the area.
Ridley was arrested and booked into the Whatcom County jail. During questioning, Ridley admitted to being part of a ceremonial group but did not have a permit to take bald eagles, stating instead that the permit was "in his blood."
Officers discovered a gun in Ridley's vehicle, which he acknowledged could result in a "life sentence" for him due to his prior felony conviction.
The surviving eagle was transported to the Washington State Humane Society but was euthanized due to the severity of its injuries. Veterinary staff confirmed that both eagles had been shot.
The Lummi Tribe is permitted to possess and transport deceased eagles found within Indian Country, but is not authorized to take eagles from the wild. The investigation further revealed that the firearm found in Ridley's possession was not manufactured in Washington, indicating it had traveled in interstate commerce.
Ridley, an enrolled member of the Lummi Tribe, faces charges related to the illegal possession of a firearm and the shooting of protected wildlife.