Two elderly men were killed in two separate stabbings on North Whidbey this afternoon.

A man who was named a suspect in one of the killings, 30-year-old Joshua David Lambert of Oak Harbor, was arrested in Oak Harbor just after 5 p.m. Lambert is also “a person of interest” in the other murder, according to Island County Sheriff Mark Brown.

Brown said both victims were men in their 80s, but he’s not releasing any names yet.

Earlier in the day, deputies were swarming over Whidbey Island and western Skagit County in search of Lambert. King 5 news reported that the city of La Conner was in lockdown for the search; Brown said that, contrary to rumors, there were no murders in that city.

One of the murders occurred at a home off Fairway Lane, just west of Oak Harbor. Brown said Lambert is a suspect in that murder. A number of deputies armed with assault rifle, as well as Brown and Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks, were at the site this afternoon.

The other murder occurred at a large home on Hastie Lake Road. Brown said Lambert is considered a “strong person of interest” in that killing.

Brown said he would release more information about the crimes as the investigation progresses.

Brown said Lambert is well known to law enforcement on the island.

Oak Harbor resident Kyle Peterson said he saw police arrest the suspect in the middle of the intersection of N. Oak Harbor Street and NW Crosby Avenue. Peterson, who lives in a neighboring house, said it was shocking that murders occurred on Whidbey Island.

“That’s crazy,” he said. “You just don’t expect to see that on this island.”