Border guard recovering; shooter texted mom prior

SEATTLE – An unarmed Canadian border guard shot in her booth at a busy U.S.-Canada crossing north of Seattle was on her way to a full recovery Wednesday as investigators worked to determine why a 32-year-old tattoo artist from Washington fired at her before committing suicide.

Andrew Michael Crews, of Seattle, was driving a van into Canada when he shot Officer Lori Bowcock in the neck Tuesday afternoon at a border crossing at Blaine, then turned the gun on himself, authorities said. Crews died at the scene.

His stepfather, Danny Lupinek, of Henderson, Nev., said Wednesday that Crews texted his mother hours before the shooting to say he loved her – and was sorry.

Lupinek said Crews didn’t explain what he meant in his text, and the family was unable to reach him after that. He said Crews had given no indication he was upset or headed to Canada.

Meanwhile, investigators also tried to piece together a motive for Crews’ actions.

“The current evidence clearly indicates that prior to taking his own life, Mr. Crews deliberately fired at the victim,” said Superintendent Kevin Hackett of the British Columbia homicide investigative team handling the probe. “There is no evidence, however, to suggest the victim was specifically targeted.”

He did not elaborate.

Bowcock remained hospitalized Wednesday in British Columbia.

Bowcock worked as a civilian dispatcher at police headquarters in London, Ontario, until last spring. As a new border guard, she had not completed training that would allow her to carry a gun, the Border Services Agency said.

Crews had lived in the Bremerton area but recently moved to the Seattle area.

Friends said Crews had worked at a Lucky Boys tattoo parlor in Silverdale, near Bremerton, and Lupinek confirmed that his stepson had worked as a tattoo artist. Lucky Boys’ phone rang unanswered late Wednesday.

Canadian officials reopened the crossing’s southbound lanes Wednesday afternoon. The northbound lanes were scheduled to reopen today.