Motorcycle club member pointed gun at guards before they shot and killed him, police say

A man shot to death outside an after-hours motorcycle club gathering over the weekend pointed a gun at two security guards and threatened to shoot, Tacoma police said.

Officials identified the dead man as Steven Dedeaux Jr. He died on his 31st birthday.

The scuffle started about 3:30 a.m. Sunday in the 3800 block of South Yakima Avenue.

Two security guards had been hired by the motorcycle club and instructed to pat down everyone who entered. Certain members were allowed to bring weapons inside.

At one point, the guards found a gun on a man trying to get inside and tried to detain him.

They were able to get a handcuff around one of his wrists before he started struggling.

Dedeaux, who was inside the club, noticed what was happening and went outside, allegedly demanding the guards let the man go.

“Steven sees the security guard struggling with this guy and starts screaming at him,” police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said. “Then he draws a gun.”

Both security guards fired after Dedeaux allegedly threatened to shoot the guards and refused to lower his gun.

Dedeaux was struck and died at the scene.

A 33-year-old bouncer was shot in the hand and taken to St. Joseph Medical Center for treatment.

The guards were not arrested.

When shots were fired, the man trying to bring a gun into the club fled with a handcuff around one wrist. Police have yet to speak with him about the incident.

This story was originally published January 14, 2019 at 1:13 PM.