Child rape suspect fatally shot by Pierce County deputies after pursuit is identified
A child rape suspect fatally shot by Pierce County sheriff’s deputies after a high-speed pursuit near Eatonville has been identified.
Brandon Mark Stokes, 37, was scheduled to meet with detectives at 2 p.m. Tuesday but never showed up.
Instead, he was spotted about the same time in a parking lot of a pizza restaurant in the 32600 block of Mountain Highway East, carrying a shotgun and “acting crazy.”
Multiple people called 911 to report Stokes’ alarming behavior.
Some witnesses reportedly heard him say, “This is my last day on Earth, I’m going to make them shoot me,” before he sped north on Mountain Highway East.
Deputies and detectives who responded to the scene did not find him until 5 p.m. when his vehicle was spotted on Mountain Highway East near 356th Street.
Stoked allegedly fled at 80 mph, initiating a chase with deputies, and tried to ram several patrol cars before crashing at Alder Cutoff Road.
Sometime after the crash, shots were fired.
Investigators have not said whether Stokes fired at deputies.
Stokes was wounded and taken to Madigan Army Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
No deputies were injured.
Five deputies involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure after an officer-involved shooting.
Tacoma police are investigating the incident.
Stokes recently moved from Louisiana.
Detectives said they are reaching out to police there to determine whether Stokes was connected to any child sexual abuse cases there.
This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 1:45 PM.
