2 men wanted to rob Fife man of marijuana, killed him in shootout, records say
Two men accused of fatally shooting a man outside his Fife house said they followed the victim home intending to steal marijuana, according to court documents.
On Friday, Pierce County prosecutors charged Terrell Harris, 23, and Albert McClendon Jr., 20, with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
They pleaded not guilty at arraignment Friday, and Superior Court Judge Susan Adams set bail at $1.5 million for each.
Officials have not publicly identified the victim, who was killed Wednesday night in the 3800 block of 62nd Avenue East.
Police say Harris and McClendon followed the man home from work in Renton and confronted him about 6 p.m.
Charging papers give this account:
The victim and his girlfriend were returning from the store and walking up to the house when two men wearing masks and gloves approached them.
They “pulled guns and pointed them at her while yelling something to the effect of, ‘Drop everything you have and give it to me,’” reports say.
The victim’s girlfriend gave them her cell phone and ran inside. Moments later, she heard gunshots and went back outside to find her boyfriend on the porch suffering from a gunshot wound.
She and several others called 911. A neighbor ran over and started CPR on the victim, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A handgun and single shell casing were found next to his body.
“Subsequent investigation revealed that victim N.S. had been armed and fired off a round at the defendants as they fled from the robbery,” reports say.
Detectives found multiple shell casings and blood on the north side of the intersection at 62nd Avenue East and 39th Street East.
They also found surveillance video showing the alleged gunmen fleeing in a sedan.
The victim’s Ring doorbell video captured the incident, and police were able to identify Harris and McClendon, who both showed up at an Auburn hospital within an hour of the shooting.
McClendon had been shot in the face.
Harris initially lied, telling detectives he and McClendon had just been walking on the street when they heard gunshots and realized McClendon had been shot. He later admitted they had “schemed up a plan” to follow the victim home because they heard he had a large amount of marijuana.
After picking up the cell phone dropped by the victim’s girlfriend, Harris and McClendon said they went to leave when shots rang out and they exchanged gunfire with the victim.
On the way to the hospital, both suspects tossed their guns out the window near a parking garage. Police later recovered the weapons.
Prosecutors said Harris and McClendon are both felons and prohibited from possessing firearms.
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 12:31 PM.
