Man shoots suspected thief in Gig Harbor during fight near elementary school
A 24-year-old Gig Harbor man shot someone suspected of stealing from a construction site after the suspect attacked him with a baton and brass knuckles, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident started about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when a resident heard loud music coming from a vehicle parked at the intersection of 64th Avenue and 41st Street NW, near Artondale Elementary School.
The neighbor took a handgun and went to investigate due to recent break-ins at the school.
He found a man, later identified as a 30-year-old Bremerton resident, on school property and told him to leave.
A fight broke out and the neighbor fired at the man, striking him once.
“The suspect pulls out a baton and brass knuckles and the homeowner shoots him,” sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.
The neighbor provided first aid to the suspect until paramedics arrived.
He was taken into custody after the shooting, but later released after detectives spoke with prosecutors about the incident’s circumstances.
A handgun, baton and brass knuckles were found in the road near where the suspect was shot.
This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 12:16 PM.
