Yikes

I live near Maple Falls, WA, a small hamlet about 30 miles due East of Bellingham, WA. Love it out here but sometimes things can get a bit too exciting. From the Bellingham Herald (#1):

Man tries to steal beer from Bellingham store, pulls out brass knuckles
A Maple Falls man allegedly tried to steal beer from a Meridian Street grocery store and assaulted a store employee Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 11, according to Bellingham police.

And:

The two began fighting and, at one point, Xxxxx pulled out a set of brass knuckles, Young said.

And the real shocker -- from the Bellingham Herald (#2):

Man dead after gang confrontation in Maple Falls
A 20-year-old Maple Falls man is dead after a Saturday, Jan. 14, gang confrontation in Maple Falls, according to Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo.

"The deceased party was a member of the Insane Clown Possee street gang and was accompanied by six other members of this gang when he confronted the individual who stabbed him. The person who stabbed the deceased party was not arrested and our investigation continues to determine if his actions were justified in self-defense," Elfo said.

According to the sheriff's press report: At about 11 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a stabbing in the Maple Falls area of Whatcom County. An adult male was taken by friends to the District 14 Fire Hall suffering from apparent knife wounds. Medical treatment was initiated, but the man died of his injuries.

The name of the dead man was not released by 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, as the family had not yet been notified.

There is another development called Peaceful Valley one valley over (five miles by road) from Maple Falls and there is a lot of crime there - 2,448 people, 787 households 45% with someone under 18. Per capita income is $12,733. A lot of people conflate Peaceful and Maple Falls.