Clark County, Washington – A 66-year-old Washington man has been charged for killing a protected Bald Eagle. Benjamin G. Allen is accused of killing the eagle on February 5, 2026, with a shotgun.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington:
Officers from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife were called to a property in Brush Prairie regarding a dead eagle with blood around its head. A witness heard a gunshot earlier in the day. Allen kept chickens not far from where the dead eagle was discovered. Special Agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interviewed Allen about the deceased eagle and his actions that day. An exam by a veterinarian revealed the eagle had two shotgun pellets in its brain, causing the death.
Allen is facing multiple charges including a class A misdemeanor for violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and a class B misdemeanor for unlawfully killing a migratory bird. Allen could face up to a year in prison for the Class A misdemeanor charge and six months in prison for the Class B misdemeanor charge. He also faces fines over $500,000.
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