17-year-old boy killed in Spanaway cul-de-sac shooting has been identified
A boy found dead after neighbors reported hearing a series of gunshots in a Spanaway cul-de-sac April 23 has been identified by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Julien Johnson, 17 of Lakewood, died from a gunshot wound of the torso, according to the medical examiner’s news release. His manner of death was deemed a homicide.
The News Tribune reported that Pierce County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 17400 block of 17th Avenue East in Spanaway at 10:36 p.m. after reports of a shooting from nearby residents. Neighbors told deputies that they heard 20 to 30 gunshots and found the victim lying in the middle of the cul-de-sac. A post from the Sheriff’s Office described the scene as “littered” with shell casings. Bullets hit nearby homes and vehicles, but no one else was hurt, the post said.
The National Gun Violence Memorial, a nonprofit organization that seeks to tell the stories of gun violence victims, has a page in memory of Johnson online.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune in a phone call Monday that the investigation remains open. There are no suspects in custody, according to Cappetto.
This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 12:00 AM.
