Mount Vernon police are investigating a double shooting that occurred Tuesday morning at the New Earth Recovery home, a faith-based addiction recovery facility. The gunfire erupted around 9 a.m. at the facility, located in the 1600 block of South Third Street, near Vera Street. Two individuals were injured and later transported to Skagit Valley Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to a spokesperson for the Mount Vernon Police Department, the victims—aged 50 and 53—were both residents of the New Earth Recovery home. Staff at the facility confirmed that the two individuals were shot by someone who is now in custody. The suspect, a 49-year-old man, was apprehended at the scene and is facing serious charges, including attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault.
The facility’s director, Alan Muia, expressed his gratitude that the suspect is now in custody, saying that the situation has been a shock to the staff and residents. Muia shared his thoughts with KOMO News, emphasizing that the facility has been operating in the Skagit Valley for over 13 years without any prior incidents of this nature.
“People in recovery are good people, and they are working on themselves, and this is just not what they sign up for,” Muia said. “We’ve been operating for the last 13 years in the Skagit Valley and we’ve never had anything close to this happen. Our facilities are safe. We take really good care of our residents. We’re a tight community of folks, so this is a real shock to all of us and to our residents.”
Muia explained that the New Earth Recovery home is a supportive environment for men who have been in recovery for at least a year, with seven men currently residing there. The facility is dedicated to providing a safe space for individuals working to overcome addiction.
The Mount Vernon Police Department confirmed that all individuals involved
