Fatal shooting in Lakewood stemmed from a drug deal, police say
A fatal shooting in Lakewood earlier this month stemmed from a drug deal, police said Thursday.
Oral Roy Rhoden, 32, was killed Feb. 2 by a gunshot wound to the chest and dropped off at St. Clare Hospital.
“The people that dropped him off did not stick around to explain what happened,” Lt. Chris Lawler said.
Detectives determined the shooting took place about 9:20 p.m. that night at an apartment complex in the 7500 block of 146th Street Southwest.
A group met there for a drug deal and Rhoden was shot, police said.
Details about what led up to the shooting have not been released.
The suspects sped away from the scene and others dropped Rhoden at the hospital.
The suspected gunman, a 40-year-old Rochester man, is believed to have arranged the narcotics deal.
A U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force took the suspect into custody Wednesday at a Thurston County home after a SWAT team surrounded the house.
He was booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder and is expected to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.
