An argument over rent between a landlord and a tenant ended Thursday morning with the tenant being shot, Milton police said.
The wounded man, a 55-year-old Tacoma resident, was shot once in the torso and spoke with officers before being taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Police Chief Bill Rhoads said.
The landlord, a 63-year-old Milton resident, called police to report the shooting and gave himself up when officers arrived. The other man also called police to alert them to the shooting.
The incident happened about 10:20 a.m. at a building in the 1300 block of 23rd Street.
The two men met at the building, which has a three-bay garage where the Tacoma man was renting space to do car body work, Rhoads said.
The two men got into an argument that led to the shooting, the chief said.
The landlord, who was bleeding from the nose and month when talking to police, said the renter punched him in the mouth until he fell to the floor. Fearing for his life, he said, he pulled out a handgun and shot the other man. He then put his gun in his vehicle, police said.
The landlord was treated for injuries from the fight but was not hospitalized.
Pierce County prosecutors will determine whether charges will be filed.
Thursday’s incident was the first shooting in Milton this year, Rhoads said.
randy.mccarthy@thenewstribune.com 253-597-8277
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.